IN reading your books, Jerome Osorio, F56 concerning righteousness, though I had not leisure accurately to trace every particular, on which you have enlarged, yet by what I have collected, I think I perceive whereat you aim. For, according to my apprehension, you are endeavoring, not to strike at some part of christian doctrine of small concern, but to cut the very throat, and extinguish the breath and spirit of the gospel, to besiege the whole state of our felicity, and the castle and chief city of christian liberty, and to pluck up from the very foundation all the munitions F57 of peace and life. For what other thing do you in all these ten books, whereby you snatch away out of the hands, studies, minds, and consciences of men, and out of the earth, as the sun out of the world, that most glorious light of our Free Justification, purchased by the great bounty of Christ, and confirmed by the eternal covenant of God. Which being taken away, I see not what thou leavest remaining to us, but Cimmerian and Osorian darkness, in which we may grope like blind moles. Which endeavors of thine, though of themselves being vain and frivolous, there is no great cause why they should be feared in their opposition against the invincible force of divine truth; yet, because they strive to withhold from us that which is most excellent in all religion; therefore I thought it was necessary to write, not being provoked by any enmity or hatred against your person, but that I might admonish you both friendly and freely; and so much the more freely, in how much greater danger I see you are entangled, unless you return, and endeavor to walk more uprightly according to the gospel of Christ. For think you, that by your deeds, performed as well as can be imagined, and by the steps of your virtues, you can lay for yourself a passage into the kingdom of God? Or think you that any man living in this slippery condition of nature, can root out all his lusts, and utterly cut off all their enticements; and so contain himself within the bounds of his duty, that he can equalize those habitations of eternal glory, with a proportionable dignity of righteousness, or dare promise them to himself upon such an account, unless the bounty of God had freely put this honor upon us? O be not of such an opinion! This is not the way to heaven. Either you must change your mind, or lay down this hope.

Howbeit this opinion seems not to be yours only, but common to you with many, namely, the late school divines, especially those who have a greater veneration for the authority of the pope than the writings of the apostles, and who, being all infected with the same contagion of error, boldly profess the same. But yet all of them do not proceed in the same method.

They so frame their notions, that all men may understand they are the professed enemies of divine grace, and our Free Justification in Christ, which they hiss out of the schools, and openly anathematize. Your arguings are somewhat different, though you have undertaken obstinately to maintain the same thing that they do, but you hide the same venom with more subtle artifice, so that it insinuates more easily, and lies less open to rebuke.

You write books concerning righteousness, and those not a few, nor unpolished. When I look on the argument, I see it is honorable and plausible. When I look into your manner of speech, your painted eloquence, and laudatory amplifications, wherewith you adorn the glory, loveliness, and beauty of righteousness, with a tragedian-like sublimity of style, I confess this is not unworthy of praise. For who would not deservedly praise him, whom he sees so inflamed with the praises of righteousness? But if any man look more inwardly, and consider with himself according to right reason, with what mind, for what end, for what pretense, and with what arguments you maintain those parts of righteousness so much praised, and compare them with the gospel of Christ, he will be forced to acknowledge that you are defective in many things. Though you little regard my censure, yet if you will allow me to speak freely, I will do it according to my duty, and so, that you may perceive that there was nothing less in my design than a perverse inclination to find fault with other men’s writings. And you have so handled this subject matter, that you appear to be a philosopher Platonical enough, and no bad Ciceronian orator; but not a very evangelical divine, nor skillful enough to plead the cause of christian righteousness.

First, as touching the title of the book, “Concerning Righteousness,” I find nothing blameworthy, though the frailty of our nature might persuade you rather to discourse something to us of mercy. Being about to treat of righteousness, you have undertaken a very honorable subject, too weighty for you, and a work indeed very difficult and excellent. For what in the whole nature of divine and human things is more excellent than righteousness? Which seeing it comprehends within its circumference all kinds of virtues, the whole praise of piety, and not only the highest perfection of the law, but also the perfect image of God, it may be found in heaven, but on earth it cannot be found, when you have said all you can.

Wherefore, I am ready the more to wonder and consider with myself what secret design you had in your mind, that you have composed books so exquisitely accurate concerning righteousness. If it was that by the trumpet of your commendation, you might make it more acceptable to us, you have therein lighted on a matter, suitable enough for setting forth the riches of your eloquence. But for what purpose or end did you that? Will you say, it was that men may the more evidently behold the beauty of righteousness, and admire it the more? But this has been formerly attempted by Plato, and many academics and peripatetics, and that with no bad success. And who is so void of all natural sense, but, though he is not himself endued with the excellency of righteousness, yet he apprehends in his mind the divine brightness thereof, and greatly admires it, and wishes for it with all his heart; if wishes in this case could do any good. 1. INHERENT RIGHTEOUSNESS, UNTO PERFECTION, CAN NO WHERE BE FOUND IN THIS NATURE.

I could wish that the integrity of nature, wherein we were of old created, had continued unto the complete exactness of all righteousness; but now in this ruined and disabled nature, why do you seek after that which we have lost? Rather bring forth something, if you can, whereby we may make up the loss. What can it profit a man already dead, to know the danger whereby he perished? Verily there is more need of a medicine, if you have any, by which you may either comfort him, being destroyed, or restore him to the life that was lost. Yea, this is the thing, say you, which you endeavor in these books disputing of righteousness. For righteousness, as you say, is the only remedy for restoring life, and regaining health; yea, this is the very thing that I chiefly find fault with; not because you write of righteousness. I commend also your praises of righteousness, which are high and copious.

Righteousness cannot be praised enough by any man. But there is another thing for which all good men should be angry with you. You present unto us a spectacle, not much differing from that which Origen relates of Celsus and Antipho; who though they wrote very contrary to truth, yet recommended those very books that were against the truth, with the title of “a true saying.” After which manner you write indeed concerning righteousness, but nothing can be said more maliciously against true righteousness. 2. A TWOFOLD ACCOUNT OF DOCTRINE; ONE OF THE LAW, AND ANOTHER OF THE GOSPEL For as there is a twofold manner of covenant, so also there is of righteousness, proposed in the scriptures. The one consists in precepts and works, under the weight whereof we all, of necessity, fall down to destruction. The other is that of the gospel, which is safe-guarded, not by works, not by observance of the law, not by any performance of duties on our side, but by the sure and only faith of Christ the Son of God. Verily, whosoever, rejecting the righteousness of Christ, whereof I speak, leads us aside unto any other manner of righteousness — he pleads not for true righteousness, but against it; and does not undertake the defense of the law of God, but is a professed enemy of the grace of Christ, and his cross, and therefore does not open, but wholly shuts up all passages to true salvation, and all gates and doors of divine grace.

But perhaps these things that have been said hitherto, are enough concerning the title of the book. By which your prudence may lead you easily to suppose, what should be judged of the rest of the work. The external form and workmanship is not without beauty, nor unworthy to be looked upon. But when I consider the reasons and force of arguments, when I compare the words and sayings of the scriptures quoted at a strange rate, with the true sense of scriptures, not rightly understood by you; and also when I take notice of the end and scope of the whole disputation, I am not willing at present to discover to you what I find.

But yet, as of necessity something must be said, I will speak, but only in a few words. If any other man had published these books concerning righteousness, except yourself, I should say to him openly, and to his time, that no man could ever have brought in a greater plague into the doctrine of the general salvation of christians, nor a filthier blot upon religion, nor have done a greater injury to St. Paul, the scriptures, and the prophets, than is manifest in these books. But in writing these things to you, I restrain myself for your sake. What then, should the cause of truth therefore be deserted? Wherefore, to observe my duty in both respects, I have taken this way of prosecuting this design, both less to offend you, and likewise perhaps more to benefit the cause I have undertaken to defend. 3. HOW EASY IT IS TO ERR IN THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION.

Seeing that these things and others like unto them, contain the principal heads of all christian doctrine, divines should take special care lest they err in them; which care, unless they take, there will follow most grievous ruin and perturbation of all things, the foundations being put out of their places.

And yet error is no where more easily committed than in these points.

Neither is it so strange; for this animal nature we call human reason, when consulted about the things of God, is most blind, and sees nothing, unless it be illuminated with the better light of divine knowledge shining in upon it.

For the right understanding of divine things comes by the Spirit of God, and not by human capacity; and though the law, and the things of the law, were in some sense born with us, and cleave unto our nature, yelt the mysteries of the doctrine of the gospel are not apprehended so easily, for the nature of both is very different. Moreover, you may see many, who following the guidance of nature, and her precepts more than is meet, do teach and dispute of things belonging to the gospel; just as a philosopher discourses of the principles of nature, or a moralist of the perfection of virtues, in which they place their chief good; or as a pharisee, sitting in the chair of Moses, would dispute about the righteousness of the law.

But there will be another occasion of treating of these things, if opportunity be granted.

Though you teach us many things in your reasoning about righteousness, yet you scarcely teach any thing to the purpose, and nothing that is profitable for salvation; but on the contrary, that which is very hurtful. For what assurance can there be of salvation, if you shut out mercy, and send us to our own righteousness, as the only way which conveys us to heaven?

For all your doctrine of divinity looks that way.

It would take up a long time to rake together out of all your books, those wonderful sayings, which are more than paradoxes, whereby you plead that all the safeguard of our salvation, should be placed in nothing but in the observance and care of righteousness, which if you could as well perform in reality, as you set forth in words magnificently, none were more happy, none more worthy of heaven than you. But now let us suppose that which you would so fain have granted, that heaven is only due to perfect men upon the account of righteousness, and that there is no other way of coming to those blessed mansions, but that which is trodden by the most pure footsteps of good men, and settled in the perfect integrity of works.

Now we are not against the deserved praises of righteousness, neither do we withhold from it its rewards. Be it so indeed. But where shall we find this righteousness? Tell me in what country this man of righteous life dwells, who will so direct the course of his life according to this idea of virtue proposed by you, that he fails no where? F58 Who roots out all manner of wickedness? who refrains himself from railing with his tongue, suppresses the haughtiness, insolence, and madness of an ambitious spirit, and the rashness of a headstrong mind? who crucifies the flesh with its lusts? who, suppressing ungodly lustings, by frequent meditation upon death, brinks himself over from all impurity and impiety to the resemblance of Christ? who, separating his mind from the contagion of the body, applies it wholly to the imitation of Christ? who resembles the humility and meekness of Christ, his bounty and benevolence, and his excellent holiness in all respects; and also cuts off all defilements of the mind, and all the roots of filthiness and impurity? Where will that man be found, who performs these and all other duties of true piety, and so performs them, that nothing in his life seems superfluous, nothing is unequal in his duties, nor defective in his manners? He may be found in the books of Osorio; but not in the life, in the daily confessions, or in the holy absolutions of Osorio.

There was of old, I confess, the image of this most perfect righteousness seen and known upon the earth. But that Phoenix hath long since left the earth, and departed hence to heaven, and now sits at the right hand of Majesty, drawing all to Himself? and I wish that at length he may draw Osorio also to himself. What if the Lord himself, looking down from heaven upon the sons of men, is affirmed in the prophetical psalm, to have found all their ways to be corrupted and depraved — if the mystical and royal holy psalmist durst not in confidence of his own righteousness enter into judgment with his God, or present himself to be tried by him, and condemns all other mortal men of unrighteousness, without excepting so much as one. Or, if Paul, writing to the Romans, very seriously, confirms the same, and stops the mouths of all men, that having called them away from a vain trust in their own works, and convinced them of the vanity thereof, he may bring men over, to the help of the Son of God only, which is placed in the faith of him. If John the apostle, yea and if James, that powerful proclaimer and defender of human righteousness, could not himself deny but that in many things we offend all; will you now rise up after them, being a mortal and sinful man, and dare to affirm to others, that which you cannot perform yourself; after this manner, “That it is either righteousness or nothing, which obtains us the favor of God, and makes us acceptable and like unto him?” F59 Is there nothing else, I beseech you? What then? Is faith nothing? Is grace nothing? Is the mercy and promise of God nothing? Do the merits of Christ profit nothing to salvation? so that now there is nothing which reconciles us to God, but the righteousness of works? What! Do you so place all righteousness in works, that you think there is no righteousness of faith?

You think perhaps that the righteousness of faith and works is one and the same, and you make no difference between the law and the gospel, whereas Paul teaches far otherwise, who openly and with great fervency of spirit deprecates that other righteousness, which is of works, that he may be found in Him, not having the righteousness which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Christ, which is of God, righteousness by faith, Philippians 3. Do you not perceive here a manifest opposition between these two: to be justified by the law, and to be justified by faith, yea, and by those very things which Patti removed far away from him, as dung in respect of obtaining salvation — will you pave that only way for us to heaven? And in the meanwhile, disputing about works, I discourse of these things with you, as if there were any such strength of so great virtues in this life, as could deserve not only the reward of righteousness, but also the name thereof. What will you say, if the most holy performances and endeavors, undertaken in whatsoever manner, by the most perfect men, in this corrupted nature, are so unprofitable to the immortality of life, that they are rejected by Christ as without profit; yea that they are despised and utterly contemned in the sight of God, like a filthy cloth, as the prophet Isaiah witnesses, unless they are underpropped with better grace, and the commendation of faith? What if, in Isaiah, we all are said, and that truly, to have gone astray like sheep every one in his own way, from whom even so great a prophet does not separate himself? What do you suppose should be judged of our virtues and righteousness? You will say, this complaint of the prophet belongs not to all, but only to the Jews who in those times wickedly forsook their duty. But by the same reason you may affirm, that all the diseases, of all men and times, were not healed by the death of Christ, but theirs only, who in those times had gone astray out of the way as lost sheep. But how frivolous this cavilling is, appears evidently by the context of this prophetical prediction.

Whereby, being convinced by sacred testimonies, you see that those merits of our greatest virtues, if they are looked upon in themselves, are far from the perfection of that righteousness, which you clothe with such beautiful colors. Which yet I would not have to be so said by me, nor understood by you, as if those that live virtuously, did nothing aright and praiseworthy in this life. Or, as if the godly works of the saints were not acceptable to God, which God himself hath commanded to be done; for thus you reason concerning works — that they come not indeed without faith, and the grace of God, but yet so, that when they come, you affirm, that the kingdom of eternal salvation is due to them by the best right; not only as a recompense and reward, but also as a lawful patrimony; as if the promise of salvation depended not on evangelical faith, but on the righteousness of the law; and not on Christ’s merits only, unless a covenant of works be joined together with it; or as if faith itself profited nothing for the obtaining of life upon any other account, but that it may procure grace, which may stir us up to the praiseworthy performances of works, by which works we attain unto eternal life. 4. FAITH JUSTIFIES NO OTHERWISE, BUT UPON THE ACCOUNT OF GOOD WORKS, ACCORDING TO THE OPINION OF OSORIO.

For so your words manifestly signify, where treating of faith, and inquiring why we are said to be saved by it, you add, “Because we obtain the divine protection only by faith, and so very easily observe the precepts of the law, and obey divine institutions.” F61 And again, in the same place discoursing of the salvation of christians, “Do you ask how a man is saved? Is there another way prepared for salvation, but what is contained in the law of God? none at all.” F62 Suppose these things were granted which you affirm, that this way which you show is the only way, and the most firmly founded, and also that the same is the most easy, and likewise that there is no other way by which we can come to heaven. Suppose we grant this, yet how canst thou know that thou dost as many good works as are sufficient for a complete obedience to the law? Of old, our first father Adam received but one command, and failed in the performance, and that in paradise, being placed in the highest degree of innocency. What! and thou a miserable mortal man, banished out of paradise, compassed about with so much infirmity of the flesh, having received the law of God, in which so many and so great things are imposed to be performed, and they are so imposed, that he is liable to a curse, whosoever doth not most constantly continue in them all, dost thou stand so firmly, that no storm of temptation can throw thee down at any time?

But what if, having observed all other commands of God exactly, so much as one tittle of the law is neglected by thee? Do you not see, that the sentence of the law being pronounced, you are as much in the fault, as if you were guilty of all unrighteousness? And yet you talk to us of no other way to the kingdom of life, but that which is defiled by the ministry of the law, and the exercise of charity.

By what scriptures, by what masters shall this appear evident to us which you assert? By Paul? What says he? “This is the mind and opinion of Paul,” say you, “that he asserts that all manner of destroying and suppressing of lust is placed in the grace of God, which must be obtained by faith, and teaches that there is no other way of extinguishing and destroying it.” F63 And again elsewhere F64 “Paul was never the man that disapproved the offices of bounty, as if they were little profitable for salvation, but taught that the only right way to heaven was that which was fixed in the continual exercise of charity, etc.”

I know indeed, and confess that all proceeds from the grace of God alone, whatsoever is done by us aright, and commendably, whether in suppressing the allurements of vices, or in observing the discipline of virtue. Moreover that should not be denied, which you well assume according to the mind of Paul, that we obtain this grace from God by faith. Likewise that is not ill said, which you add concerning Paul, that he was never the man that disapproved pious endeavors of exercising charity; seeing he every where extols those very things with wonderful praises. For who knows not, that the excellent discourses of Paul are exceedingly full of very serious precepts and instructions for governing- the life; and that they are not in any matter more affectionate than in this, than that all, every where, who profess the name of Christ, should, together with a sincere profession of faith, join holiness of life “for necessary uses.”

Suppose this to be most true, as it is indeed; yet it never was the meaning of the apostle, to place our salvation principally in the law, as if he thought that the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, should be measured by our worthy deeds and charity; or proposed heaven to us as fit to be paid for, or sold for the commodities of our works. Yea, when I read Paul’s epistles of a far different sense, this seems to me to be the only scope and mind of the apostle — that he transfers all this righteousness, which you attribute to the law, unto faith, and so transfers it, that he shuts out all mixture of works, and leaves only faith in the Son of God, which lays open for us a way into the kingdom of heaven.

He affirms, that, We are justified by faith, without works; and again says, But now, without the law, the righteousness of God is made manifest, being testified by the law and the prophets: F65 with what words could he more evidently shut out the endeavors and merits of all our virtues from the divine gift of justification?

These things being thus concluded by the weighty authority of Paul, of necessity from thence follows, that there is a twofold manner, or way of being righteous, to be distinguished, as I said, according to the different conditions of both covenants; of which the one belongs to the law, the other is peculiar to Christ. Then both the law and Christ have their own righteousness. For as the law, which is wholly exercised in works of righteousness, endures no unrighteousness, and renders the fruits of righteousness plentifully to those, who persevering in that which is good, have filled up all the parts of perfect innocency, so likewise Christ also hath his own righteousness, much more powerful, and not a little differeing from the other; though not so much differing in respect of the matter, yet exceeding much in the manner of dispensing. For the law communicates only to them that work, but Christ communicates perfect righteousness to them that believe, and often also to the unworthy and undeserving, by a singular grace of dispensation. Therefore this righteousness, is properly called “the righteousness of faith.” Which is necessarily to be distinguished by us from the other, which is called, “the righteousness of the law.” Which they who do not, verily do a great injury to the scriptures, and quench all light of doctrine, confounding both their own consciences, and the consciences of their hearers, so that scarcely any man can certainly know what should be hoped or feared. For they who dispute thus concerning the righteousness of the law, and draw all to that alone, as if there remained no other way to hope for salvation, excepting that which the strict and severe observation of the law brings — I beseech you, what else do those men but leave the souls of men in a doubtful wavering? And by what way those men encourage us to hope, by the same they compel us to fear, and utterly to despair of salvation; seeing that there is no man in the world, to whom the daily offenses of his life give not much more cause to fear, than his virtues give him to hope.

And what remedy then shall remain for the perplexed consciences of men, if the righteousness of Christ being hid from their eyes, you leave nothing for hope or consolation, but the righteousness of the law? Or with what comfort will you raise up the spirit of a fallen and afflicted sinner, when the law shows what every man should do aright, but can pardon no man what is done amiss? Must you not here of necessity be compelled to leave the righteousness of the law, and presently to appeal to the righteousness of Christ? And, I think, you will not at all deny that. But say you, “Seeing this righteousness of Christ is no other, but that which is the righteousness of the law, yea and the very perfection of the law, therefore it is not necessary that we should make a twofold righteousness, but only one, both of Christ and of the law.” It is not difficult to answer to this objection. Indeed it must be confessed, if you consider the things by themselves, and compare the one with the other by a mutual relation, there seems not to be any difference between the righteousness of Christ, and that of the law.

Because there is nothing in the law so holy and perfect, but it appears as evident in the life of Christ. But if you consider the efficacy and manner of working, which the righteousness of Christ and of the law exercises in others — if you consider the effect and end of both, there is a great difference. For though Christ is no otherwise just in himself than the law itself is holy and just; yet this which is called the righteousness of Christ, acts in us far otherwise, than that which is called the righteousness of the law, so that nothing seems more unlike or more contrary. 5. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL.

First, as touching the law — what is the nature, virtue, and efficacy thereof is known to every man. That it is of itself a holy and perfect rule and mistress, to teach how to lead the life; being made for this purpose by the most holy God that creatures might certainly know what they should fly, and what they should follow. As it contains in itself the very rule of all perfection in all respects complete, so it requires perfect obedience in all respects and upon all accounts; upon this condition, that he that doeth these things, shall live in them. But on the contrary, he that doeth otherwise, and abides not in all, the law pronounces a curse against him, and inflicts the vengeance of death, and heaps up anger and indignation upon him. For by the law the wrath of God is declared from heaven, being justly kindled against all men that are wicked and unjust upon any account.

Whereby it comes to pass, that the law, being itself holy and good, was not given that it should bring destruction, but salvation. But the same being hindered by the infirmity of our flesh, it cannot but kill us, and cannot at all save us by its own means. Not for any default, or tyranny of its own; but by taking just occasion from the refractory rebellion of our flesh, which as it naturally hath enmity against God, so it cannot avoid being contrary to his sacred will, and divine institutions. Hence break forth so many, and such great calamities, that fall upon this sinful nature of ours; hence so many proofs of the divine indignation and anger; hence also that dreadful necessity of dying, which as it passes through all ages and kindreds — which none of the most holy men could ever drive from themselves — verily that one thing proves us all to be guilty of unrighteousness, and that there is not any perfection of righteousness in our most righteous works.

For, if the wages of sin be death, it cannot be that there should be any extinction of life where no unrighteousness is seen. Therefore, if the law cannot defend thee in this life with all thy works from death, will the same save thee after death, and restore thee to life, when thou art dead? 6. CONCERNING EVANGELICAL RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Hitherto these things have been explained by us concerning the righteousness of the law, as it is considered out of Christ. Now let us again turn our eyes unto Christ, and consider what his righteousness, without the law, worketh in us. And here a wonderful and most manifest difference between the law and Christ presents itself unto us. For the law, as hath been said, can give no life according to the rigor of its justice, unless to perfect men; therefore it comes to pass, that because it finds nothing perfect in us, being hindered through the infirmity of our flesh, it can give no help, nor work any thing in us but wrath. Therefore, being repulsed by the law, and destitute of the help of works, let us seek another patron of salvation, whosoever he be, who may help us. But there is none who doubts, that he is no other than Christ the only Son of God; whom we all alike profess through all churches. There is therefore no controversy remaining between us and our adversaries concerning the Author of salvation.

Nevertheless, there remains another ambiguity or question, perhaps not yet cleared enough by divines. For, whereas there is no man but confesses that righteousness is in Christ in its highest perfection; and we have already heard from the law, that there is no fellowship of righteousness with unrighteousness; here some difficulty comes in, how it comes to pass, that the Lord Christ, all whose judgments are most just, can or ought, against righteousness, to favor those who, having forsaken their duty, have turned aside to unrighteousness? For if the law of God, according to the nature of righteousness, cannot avoid condemning those that are guilty of wickedness, some perhaps may ask, How Christ, who does not anything but what is most righteous, can, without the violation of his righteousness, procure salvation to those whom the law of righteousness justly condemns?

Or if he do it — how, for what cause, and in what manner, he does it — by faith, or by works? If by faith, whether by faith only, or by the help of works joined with it? If upon the account of works, whether before works, or after works, or in the very works? But if by faith only, without works, hence arises a threefold question: 1. What then do good works avail? 2. What faith that is, and of what sort it is, which is said to justify? 3. Whom this faith justifies?

For they must be either sinners or righteous — if sinners, they are either penitent or stubborn — if you say both, you will speak against righteousness, which cannot be well called righteousness, unless it reward according to every man’s deeds and merits. But if’ they are righteous and not sinners, whom Christ helps, what need have the righteous of a Redeemer? What need have the whole of a physician? Moreover, how will that saying of Paul hold true, whereby Christ being made man, is said to have come into the world, not to save the righteous, but sinners?

If any man, in disputing about the doctrine of Justification, should ask these things, what would you answer him? If any man should come to you, who being affrighted in his mind, and astonished at the greatness of his sins, and burdened with horror of conscience, and almost dead with the fear of the judgment of God, should ask the help of counsel and comfort from you — and of this sort there are found not a few examples in the folds of the Lord’s flock — what remedy would you reach forth unto him?

Perhaps you will send him to those books of yours concerning righteousness. And what will he find there, whereby his afflicted and east down mind may be refreshed and recover itself ? Will you send him to the law? What will he draw from thence fit for healing his wounds? especially seeing that the law of righteousness can only bring us in guilty, because we have not kept the law; at least it cannot by any means restore righteousness that was once lost, or satisfy the Judge. It remains then, that you should bring the miserable soul of a sinner from the law, in which there appears the hope of defense, untoCHRIST, seeing it isHE only, by whose wounds and stripes we are healed; and who hath taken upon himself all the impieties of us all, that he might communicate unto us his own righteousness. That is very true indeed, and upon that account you and yours are to be commended, who, though you seem not to have a clear sight of the genuine office of Christ, and his divine greatness in procuring our salvation; yet you refuse not to profess his name, and have a certain external reverence of faith.

But at present you have to do with men that are troubled, and to whom it is not sufficient to retain only the name of a Savior, unless we have also a right understanding of the efficacy of his death which he suffered for us, and of the power that he hath to save, and the great benefits he hath bestowed upon us, and his exceeding great love and goodwill towards us, and the infinite riches that are promised to us in him. Therefore you must proceed further, and help the afflicted minds of the godly, that they may know and believe, not only that there is eternal and durable life in Christ, but also that they may be taught the way, and means, and manner, how that life comes to us, and to whom it belongs, and what we must observe in attaining unto it. 7. WHAT THE POWER AND EFFICACY OF FAITH IS; WHOM IT JUSTIFIES, AND HOW.

In which matter there is great variety of sentiments and opinions amongst divines. For, whereas Paul proclaims, that man is justified by faith without the works of the law, Romans 3, those men, by their comments, do not explain the most evident meaning of the apostle, but render it obscure.

They do not expound, but cavil; so that some take the worst faith, not as Paul, for that faith only which is in Christ Jesus, but for another faith which is formed by charity and works. Others interpret that which Paul saith of faith without works, to be understood concerning ceremonial works. Some interpret it of the works of the law in this sense, that those works are undertaken, not by faith, but by the command of the law without grace.

Others expound it otherwise; without antecedent works only.

The scope of all which dispute is, that faith being adorned with works, may do something. And on the contrary, that, if works are not joined therewith, it may seem a kind of rude matter, void of life and form, not only unprofitable to purchase righteousness, but a certain dead and destructive thing. which if it be true, I would ask in what commonweahh, in what church, in whose kingdom, do you coin this new piece of divinity? If it is the church of Christ, that is not yours — it is his kingdom, in which you are only a servant. What? shall not Christ have a free power permitted to him of administering his own affairs, as in his own lawful commonwealth?

And whence is this great boldness in another’s dominion, in a church that you never founded, to alter and change as you list, the appointments and institutions of your prince, contrary to law and right? Or, by what authority do you oppose yourselves, but that every man may act in his own possession according to his own right, and freedom of command? What if it seems good in the eyes of Christ to communicate freely the glory of his kingdom, to whom he will? Will you forbid him? What if the most gracious Lord will pay a full reward to those that come to work at the last hour of the day, and make all equal by making the like agreement with them all?

Should your eye therefore be evil because he is good?

But now the Lord himself, the Prince and Author of the church, professes in very evident words, that eternal life shall be given to them that believe in his name. What can be said more evident in signification, or more clear to be understood? He that believeth in me, saith he hath eternal life, John 6.

And again, repeating the same in the same words, he that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life, John 1. And, He that believeth in me, though he were dead yet he shall live. F66 And lest he should seem to testify this of himself, without the consent of his Father, he adds, This is the will of Him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son and believeth in him should have life eternal, John 6. Who no less most evidently confirms these things by performances, which he expresses in words, adding also miracles thereunto. For how great a multitude do ye meet with everywhere throughout all the evangelists, who were saved and healed by no other thing but faith only, which relied on Christ. How often do we hear from the mouth of the Lord in the gospel, Thy faith hath made thee whole, F67 without hearing any mention of works? And what Christ performed to faith, will Osorio attribute that to works? Christ invites unto himself consciences that are afflicted and burdened with sin; Isaiah calls all that are athirst to come, without price or any exchange, to the fountains of Christ, that they may be refreshed, John 15. Osorio will bestow the kingdom, which God hath promised, upon none but righteous men, and eminent good works. I beseech you, according to your righteousness, what excellent good work brought that sinful woman with her in the gospel, out of whom seven devils were cast? What righteousness appeared in the thief on the right hand of Christ, excepting faith only, why he should, after committing so many evil deeds, enter in together with Christ, on the same day into paradise? What else did the woman of Canaan, that was a stranger, bring to Christ, but an importunate cry of faith, so that she carried home, not crumbs, but whole loaves of divine grace? What deserved the miserable woman with the issue of blood, or Jairus the governor of the synagogue, or Zaccheus or Matthew, or other publicans with them, why they being preferred before the pharisees, who seemed so much more righteous, should obtain the benefit of free favor, being so obvious and exposed unto them? There is almost an infinite number of others of the like condition, that may be discoursed of after the same manner, in whom you can find nothing worthy of such great bounty of divine grace, but faith only. Blind Bartimeus cried, the lepers cried, Jesus, Master, thou Son of David, have mercy on us, and they were heard. For nothing cries louder than faith, nothing is more effectual to prevail. Let Osorio also cry, and let us all cry with the like voice of faith, and we shall be heard likewise. I speak of that faith, which is in Christ Jesus, besides which, there is not any passage into heaven, nor access unto God, nor way of prevailing with God.

Therefore, that we may be heard, let us come, and knock, but let us do it aright, that is, by faith and in the name of the Only Begotten. Otherways it is in vain to cry to God, who hears not sinners, but drives them away; who regards not guilty persons, unless they come to the Son, or in the name of the Son. Now by what way we are heard, by the same we are justified. For the divine reward is always joined with righteousness.

Seeing then, all of us mortal men are by nature sinners, and servants of sin, therefore we must see what that is, which makes us of servants free men — of guilty persons, sons — of sinners, righteous. For this is the whole subject of the debate, this is the question on which the whole controversy depends, which is not so difficult to be judged of, if the authority of sacred scripture may prevail upon impartial judgments. For the testimony of the gospel remains sure and eternal, which no mortal man can weaken at any time, instructing our faith thus. As many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God; and that he may teach what it is to receive him, he presently explains the same; to them, saith he, that believe in his name, etc. F68 Whereby it appears evidently what it is to which we are beholden for all that splendor and dignity, wealth and riches, yea, and the possession of heaven and life. I know that in those excellent offices of good works, in the exercise of charity, and observance of righteousness, there is great weight, and also great benefit; as I confess also that the law itself hath great efficacy, if a man use it lawfully. Now the use of the law consists in this, that it should bring us to Christ, and be subservient to his glory. But when you have heaped all these things together into one, whatsoever were by God either prescribed to us in his law, or written within us, they are far from restoring perfection to a man’s deeds which are altogether imperfect, or to man’s person which is wholly destroyed and ruined. They are far from making us of servants, freemen, of slaves of Satan, sons of God, heirs of his kingdom, coheirs of Christ, fellow-citizens of the saints, and domestics of the highest Father. Verily that is not the office of the law, but of Christ: and it is not righteousness, but grace that does this. This is not the efficacy of works, but of faith: which relying not upon works, but being strengthened only by the promise of God, brings us from bondage to liberty, from death to life, adopts us being reconciled unto God makes us sons of the promise, which is so far from being joined with charity and works, that it reconciles charity itself, and all works of life unto God, and justifies them, without which they could not have place in heaven, in the presence of the great God. 8. UPON WHAT ACCOUNT, AND HOW, FAITH JUSTIFIES FALLEN SINNERS.

Now, because I have demonstrated what the power of faith is, and what it performs, I must of necessity explain upon what account, and for what cause faith procures unto itself such great efficacy and power of justifying — how it is said to justify alone, without works; and what men the same justifies, whether the righteous or the wicked. If the righteous, what need is there of justification or faith, when the law is sufficient? If the wicked, does it justify; those that are penitent and converted, or the impenitent and rebellious? If the faith of Christ justifies the penitent, frees them from guilt, and makes them righteous of unrighteous, which you yourself cannot deny, why then do You inveigh against Luther so immodestly and undeservedly?

Does Luther either say or teach any other thing? Where does he at any time let loose the reins to sin, or promise liberty to the wicked, or preach justifications otherways than to those who being reformed by repentance, breathe alter Christ, and join themselves to him by faith? What? Will you shut out those from all hope of pardon? I think not. And what remedy then will you show them? Will you send us to the faith of Christ, or to the sentence of the law, to heal our wounds? What if the law gives no help here, and there is not any other thing’ in man, that can help righteousness once violated, except faith only placed in Christ, which you cannot deny?

And if this very faith brings salvation to none but to those that deplore the sins they have committed, which, together with you, Luther affirms, to what purpose are those outcries against Luther so tragical, and raised without any cause? F69 But now, seeing he never so much as dreamed of these things, neither can you bring forth one word from his many sayings and deeds to maintain your unjust accusation. 9. AN ANSWER TO THE ACCUSATIONS OF OSORIO IN DEFENSE OF LUTHER.

But now, passing by your reproaches, let us consider the matter itself and the strength and sinews of your discourse. Do you, who are so great an extoller of righteousness, against all righteousness tear honest and innocent men in pieces with false accusations? For if a man does not attribute unto works the chief efficacy and preeminence in the point of justification, is that a sufficient cause to suppose that therefore he utterly condemns good works? Verily it is unreasonable so to do.

Luther separates charity from faith, and the law from the gospel, and does it not without cause. F70 But it must be considered where, in what place, and for what cause he does it: not to cause the godly works of good men to be despised, nor to discourage the exercise thereof, but that the power of justifying; should not be attributed to the performance of them. Not that faith should not work by love before men, but that it should not work before God. For it is one thing to work before men, and another thing to work before God. Therefore, one and the same faith acts both ways; but one way before God, and another way before men; for before men it works by love, that it may perform obedience to the will of God, and be serviceable for the benefit of our neighbor; but before God it works not by ally love, but by Christ only, that it may obtain the pardon of sins, and eternal life.

By which you see what is the difference between faith and virtue, and wherein they both agree, and how different the working of both is. How faith is alone, without works, and again how the same is not alone; for in the mean while godly works are not therefore condemned, because they are not admitted to the justification of life, but the trusting in works is only overturned. Here then a wise and suitable division should be used, that things may be distinguished by their own places and bounds, lest one thing should rashly rush into the possession of another, and disturb the order of its station. Therefore, let the praiseworthy merits of the greatest virtues have their own honor and dignity, which no man withholds from them.

Nevertheless, by their dignity they will never lie so available in the presence of the heavenly Judge, as to redeem us from our sins, to satisfy justice, to deliver us from the wrath of God, and everlasting destruction, to restore us that are so many ways ruined, unto grace and life, to unite us as sons and heirs to God, and to overcome death, and the world. These things cost a for dearer price, than that we should ever be able to pay so many and so great debts by any works or merits, or means of our own. For so great is the severity of justice, that there can be no reconciliation, unless justice be satisfied by suffering the whole punishment that was due. The wrath is so very great, that there is no hope of appeasing the Father but by the price and death of the Son. And again, so great is the mercy, that the Father grudged not to send his own Son, and bestow him on the world, and so to bestow him, that he gives life eternal to them that believe in him.

Moreover, so great is the loving kindness of the Son towards us, that he grudged not for our sakes to bring upon himself this infinite load of wrath, which otherways our frailty, however assisted with all the help of moral virtues, had never been able to sustain. 10. WHENCE FAITH HATH RECEIVED ITS EFFICACY.

Because faith alone with fixed eyes looks upon this Son and Mediator, and cleaves unto him, who only could bring about this achievement of our redemption with the Father; therefore it is, that it alone hath this virtue and power of justifying — not with works, nor for works, but only for the sake of the Mediator, on whom it relies. Therefore, that is false and worthy to be rejected with disdain, which some unhappy and wicked school divines affirm in discoursing of charity, that it is the form of faith, and that it cannot, by any means, be separated from faith, any more than the vital soul can be separated from the body, or the essential form from matter, which otherwise is a rude and unwieldy mass. In answering of whom, I think there is no need of many words, seeing that the whole meaning and drift of scripture, if rightly understood — the very end of the law — also Christ, and the instruction of the apostles, and the whole nature of the gospel seem to be manifestly against them, and wholly to overturn that most absurd opinion, by so many oracles, so many signs, examples, and arguments to the contrary. Now if that be form which gives subsistence to a thing, how much more truly must it be said, that faith is the form of charity, without which all the works of charity are base and contemptible; as again, the form of faith is not charity, but Christ only, and the promise of the word. “But what,” say they, “are not the pious works of charity acceptable to God, being so many ways prescribed unto us, and commanded by him? Are not these also remunerated with plentiful fruits of righteousness, and heaped up with manifold rewards in the gospel? ‘I was hungry,’ says Christ, and ye fed me; I thirsted, and ye refreshed me with drink, so that not so much as a cup of cold water shall want a reward, when it is given in the name of Christ, besides an infinite number of other things of that kind, which being taken out of the scriptures are enlarged upon to the praise of charity.”

Indeed, no man denies that pious and holy works of charity are greatly approved of God, and it is an undoubted truth, that the love of God and of our neighbor, as it comprehends the summary of both tables, and is the greatest fulfillment of the whole law, so it hath excellent promises annexed unto it. Neither is there any controversy between us about that. But when we affirm that charity pleases God, we ask this, How it pleases? whether simply of itself in respect of the very work, or upon the account of faith, and the Mediator? And then, Whether the same charity so pleases, that it justifies us before God, and obtains the pardon of sins, and overcomes the terrors of death and sin, that it may be opposed to the judgment and anger of God? Moreover, whether it hath the promises of eternal life annexed unto it? If without a Mediator and the faith of him, there is nothing which can please God, and it is impossible that works should please him before the person of him that works is reconciled, it follows that charity depends on faith, and not faith on charity. But faith rather goes before love, and is so far from being joined with it for justification, that it also justifies charity, and makes all the works of charity acceptable to God. The matters appear more evident by example. Suppose a .Jew or Turk daily bestows great gifts upon the poor with very great cost and damage to his estate; and again, that a christian gives only a cup of cold water to a thirsty man in the name of Christ; in the things themselves, if merits only be valued, there seems a very great disproportion. But there is much greater inequality in the distributing the reward. Though a Turk bestows many thousands of talents upon the poor, he gains not any thing at all thereby with God. A christian, by one cup, not of wine, but of cold water, loses not his reward; yea, he finds life. What is the cause, but because those things are not valued by\parMERITS, but byFAITH; not by the condition of the work, but of the worker; not by the price of the thing, but by the dignity of the person. 11. IN JUSTIFICATION, NOT SO MUCH THEE CONDITION OF THE DEEDS AS OF THE PERSONS, IS REGARDED.

See of how great concern it is, that a person should first be reconciled to God. For, unless he be received into God’s favor, it is not possible that his works should please him at any time. As in civil and political affairs, it is of no small import whether a son or a servant acts upon the account of reward; in like manner in the heavenly generation there is a great difference between sons and servants, the heirs of God and mercenaries. For one thing is regarded in servants, and another in sons, and their condition appears to be far different. It belongs to servants to be compelled by that, but they that are sons are drawn by love, and they do so much the more in the performance of their duties, how much the more gladly they endeavor to please their Father. They that serve, go about their business only for reward, and it is given unto them no other ways than according to their merits. Who, when they have done all, remain nothing but servants and unprofitable, they never do anything worthy of an inheritance. On the contrary, they who are heirs and sons, though they show themselves no less obedient, and observe the will of their Father, yet they do not obey that they may be made heirs by works, but because they are heirs. Therefore they work.

Again, they that are in a servile condition, do not come, but when called by their master, and perform his commands by the impulse of the law. But the case is contrariwise in sons, who have always access with boldness into the presence of their Father, and cry, “Abba, father,” performing much more of their own accord than by the incitement of another’s prescription. Servants, after they have done their task, have wages paid them according to their merits, but they receive no reward of inheritance. But they that are sons and heirs, have an inheritance made sure to them. Not according to their obedience, nor by their deeds, nor after their deeds, but by the faith of the promise, and a free donation before all obedience. Concerning which faith, Paul said, It is therefore of faith, that according to grace the promise should be firm to all the seed. Moreover, in those that are sons, it is only the dignity of the person, and not the merits of good life; it is the birth, and not the works, that are regarded. But the case is contrariwise in servants; for it is not regarded what the person is, but what the manner of life. In short, the servant, as Christ witnesseth, abides not in the house forever.

But the son, to whom the house is delivered, wholly and forever, is never driven out of the house.

And here Christ alone is a Son by nature, we only by the grace of adoption.

He by birth, we by deliverance; of which he himself testifies, If the Son, saith he, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed, he, being partaker of his Father’s nature, is not made a Son by his life, but is born a Son; we being servants by nature, are not born sons, but are born again, not by works, but by faith.

But by Christ our Deliverer we are changed from servants into sons. Not that we cease now to be the same that we were in this life, sinners, miserable, weak, and mortal, for this transformation from servants into sons, is not so much performed in us, or in the change of our qualities, but chiefly in the love of God to us. For he hath so high all esteem, and puts so great a value on Christ, his only begotten, that, with a fatherly love and affliction, he embraces all those of mankind throughout the world, that believe in this Son of his; and looking upon them now as sons, adopts them for his sons, out of their servile estate; yea, and makes them coheirs together with his Son. Whence St. Paul said; Ye are not now servants, but sons: and if sons, then also heirs of God through Christ; for ye are all the sons of God by faith, which is in Christ Jesus, Galatians 4.

Whosoever of you are baptized, ye have put on Christ. Ye are all one in Christ Jesus. But, if ye are Christ’s, then are ye the seed of Abraham, and heirs according to the promise, Galatians 3. Concerning which also John speaks to this purpose; See what love the Father hath given us, that we should be called the children of God. And again, presently repeating the same, Dearly beloved, saith he, now we are the sons of God, and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be, etc., 1 John 3. 12. THE ABSURDITIES THAT ARISE FROM THE OSORIAN (ROMISH) RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Which things, seeing they are guarded with most sure confirmations of evangelical scripture, hence it necessarily follows, that all this discourse of yours about righteousness falls down from the foundation. For if, as you say, there is no union with God the eternal Father, “but to those who by an exact observation of the law conform and direct all their actions to the will of God, which is the law of equity and rule of justice:” you make us not now to be sons, nor heirs according to the promise, but mercenaries according to the condition of the law. Moreover, by this means also it will come to pass that the promise is sure to no man, in his lifetime; which is directly opposite, not only to the mind of Paul, lint also to the genuine condition of sons. For who in the time of this life lives so exactly according to the commands of God, that hitherto he has never passed the limits thereof, or knows that he shall not do so in the remainder of his life?

Whereby it will come to pass that the mind must needs waver hither and thither, with perpetual uncertainty. Moreover, if it be accounted sure by the word and promise of the gospel, that as many as are ingrafted into Christ are heirs, then the kingdom of God must of necessity be an inheritance. If an inheritance, then it is not a recompense nor a reward, but a patrimony, which is not due to deeds, but to the spiritual birthright. If to the birthright, then the bestowing of the inheritance goes before all deeds. Afterwards pious deeds follow, according to the saying of Augustine, which is no less true than firm; “Good works follow him that is justified, but go not before him that is to be justified.” Wherefore, if that most pure and eternal nature account us for sons, as it was proved above, in whom there is not any stain of unrighteousness, upon the like account it follows that the cause which joins us to God, as sons, the same also makes us just in the sight of God.

But that we may rightly examine what that cause is, first the degrees of causes must be distinguished, of which some are related unto God, and others to men. On God’s part, in the first place, comes his infinite mercy, predestination, election, the grace of the promise and vocation, of which Paul speaks in more places than one. Who hath predestinated us, saith he, unto the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ — whom he hath predestinated, that they should be conformed to the image of his Son, them he hath also called; whom he hath called, them he hath also justified, etc, see Romans 8.

In the next order follows the donation of his dear Son, his obedience, death, sufferings, merits, redemption, resurrection, forgiveness of sins, Romans 8. As for those things which proceed from God, there is no great controversy between us. But our opinions differ concerning those things which are called causes on man’s part; namely, whether there is one cause only, or more? Whether faith only, without works, or works joined together with faith? And this is the thing about which we now contend, for in these books you so dispute about the righteousness of works, that you suppose faith, only, without these additions, insufficient to perform any thing towards the purchasing salvation; so that it is your opinion, “That this faith of Christ only, if it be separated from the help of works, deserves not to be called the faith of Christ, but a headstrong rashness, an insolent confidence, an impudent boldness, an outrageous madness, an execrable wickedness.” F71 Which sort of words, how little modesty they indicate it is needless here to inquire. But how far they differ from truth, and the inviolable authority of sacred scriptures, it will be requisite to take notice; because at present this is the matter of debate between us.

And first, if you understand it concerning this common fellowship of men with one another, and offices of mutual obedience between man and man, there is no man so unreasonable as to separate faith from the operation of charity in that sense. For thus faith, hope, and charity have a necessary connection. But let the question be applied beyond the public society of human life, to those things that peculiarly belong to salvation, and have a relation to God himself, so that now the cause should be inquired for which gives us a right to the adoption of the sons of God, and which purchases us righteousness before him. Herein Paul, in disputing against you, so far takes away all righteousness from works, and leaves faith alone, that he judges him who mingles any thing besides, for the obtaining salvation, to be a destroyer of faith, an enemy of grace, and consequently an enemy of the cross of Christ. For if those, saith he, that are of the law, are heirs, faith is made void, the promise is made of none effect. And also elsewhere, If righteousness comes by the law, then Christ died in vain, Romans 4; Galatians 2. Thus you hear Paul manifestly asserting what it is that makes us heirs of the inheritance and salvation — not the law, but faith. And that these two are so contrary in the office of justifying, that if the law be admitted, faith is wholly overturned, the death of Christ is made void, the grace of the promise fails.

Now let us compare Osorio, disputing of righteousness, with Paul. He affirms that man is justified by faith without works. Your opinion, on the contrary, pleads that righteousness so much consists of works without faith, that faith does nothing else but prepare for holy works. He, asserting a twofold righteousness of works and of faith, of grace, and of merit, so distinguishes between both, that he sets the one against the other, by mutual opposition; as if they were things that could by no means consist together, but the one destroys the other. And he makes that evident by the example of the Israelites, and the Gentiles; of whom those, grasping at righteousness by works, fell from true righteousness: these, because they sought after righteousness by faith, solely and simply obtained it.

You, on the contrary, being neither deterred by their fearful example, nor regarding the apostolical instruction; and making no distinction between these different kinds of righteousness, seem to comprehend all in that one righteousnessness of the law, as if the righteousness of faith were none at all. The words of Paul are very manifest, To him that worketh, the reward is reckoned to be, not of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is imputed unto him for righteousness, Romans 4. What can any man say more expressly? Afterwards he adds, “freely,” denying that it could he imputed freely if it were due for works. On the contrary, Osorio seems to be of such an opinion, that he acknowledges no imputation of righteousness at all. He who asserts that we are justified by the faith of Christ, and not by works; what does he but remove works utterly from the justification of faith? Your assertion, which “makes the faith of Christ, if works are shut out, to be no faith, but madness and execrable wickedness,” F72 brings a gospel, not from heaven, but wholly differing from that which we have received from Paul.

Which seeing we are commanded by the apostle not to suffer even in an angel, without wishing him accursed, what may be answered to you in this case I commit to yourself to consider. Paul reasons thus — If of grace, then not of works, otherwise grace is not grace. If of merit, then not freely: for in that which is free there can be no merit or debt. 13. THE ARGUMENTS WHEREBY RIGHTEOUSNESS IS ATTRIBUTED TO WORKS ARE ANSWERED.

Now it must be inquired, by what arguments Osorio pleads for his opinion.

And first he brings that out of the Psalms, The Lord, saith he, is righteous, and loveth righteousness, his countenance beholds the upright. The wicked, saith David, shall not dwell with thee; the unrighteous shall not remain before thy eyes: and thou hatest all those that work iniquity; thou shalt destroy all those that speak leasing, etc. F73 What is gathered from these testimonies? “That the wicked have no society with the goodness of God.

For, seeing God is himself the very law of equity and rule of righteousness, according to which all our actions should be directed, therefore it is his opinion, that it is not possible that he who puts away the rule itself from him, and hates it, should be joined to the same.” But what is driven at in all these florid expressions? It is this, “He then that asserts it to be possible that God should approve the wicked, and join them to himself, asserts it to be possible for God not to be God.”

These things need no lengthy answer. We grant this to be very true, which you mention from the scriptures, that the rule of divine justice is perfect, and that eternal light cannot endure any thing which is wicked, or not agreeable to equity. But you have not yet proved that those should be called wicked, who, flying to Christ by faith, receive from him the pardon of their sins; who, having their sins blotted out, and all iniquity forgiven, are written by the same psalmist among the number of the blessed; whom God himself, purifying by faith, and pouring his Holy Spirit upon them, of ungodly hath made them godly, and graciously received them into his favor, fo the sake of his clear Son.

And such we were all formerly, as your oration describes; wicked sinners, and all void of the glory of God, before Christ washed us with his blood, 1 Corinthians 6. But now, after we are washed from our former filthiness, sanctified and justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God, who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? Romans 8. Those whom God justifies, who shall condemn? Then you go on and deny that it is possible, that God should be unlike himself, to favor wickedness, or make friendship with wicked men of an unclean life.

And therefore you conclude we must needs be first righteous, before we are received into the favor of God. Right, but who are they whom you call by the name of just?

If you judge they are such as are defiled with no pollution, or can say with Christ, Who amongst you will prove me guilty of sin? Verily, I confess what you prove concerning the conformity of the righteous unto God, seems not unlike to truth; and that we must needs, all of us, be such, if we would, with acceptance, have to do with that most pure nature of the Divine righteousness, without a Mediator and Redeemer.

But, if you take those for righteous who are righteous by faith, not by life, that is, those whom daily forgiveness, received by faith, brings as righteous into the presence of God, in that sense this debate of yours about righteousness does us no unkindness: for by this means it comes to pass that whom faith daily absolves, you yourself cannot hold to be guilty of any crime. Therefore, if they are not unrighteous, nothing hinders them from being admitted with bold access into the presence of the Divine Majesty, through the benefit of their Redeemer.

But you deny that it is agreeable to the nature of God to account any man worthy of his approbation, except him whom his countenance beholds to be righteous. “Therefore it is necessary that our righteousness should go before the favor of God.” F74 But whence that righteousness should come to us, is all the contention between us. You seem to acknowledge no righteousness but that which the perfection of life procures. We place all our righteousness in Christ, not in ourselves; in the faith of him only, not in our own works. “What!” say you,” can any man obtain favor from that highest goodness as long as he hates not wickedness, as long as he puts not away iniquity from him, which hath a perpetual war with divine equity?”

Who is ignorant of, or denies that? “For,” as you say, “how can it be that everlasting law should not hate sin and wickedness with the greatest abhorrence?”

At length he concludes,” That it is therefore necessary that whosoever thinks to be received into the friendship of God, must first hate wickedness.” Verily there is no man that denies it. But though we should grant that a wise and wholesome, or sound sorrow, whereof you speak, makes the first part of our conversion, and that the true righteousness of faith doth not follow, except some trouble of a penitent mind go before; it doth not therefore come to pass that the very cause of justification should be attributed unto repentance. F75 For if repentance be nothing else but a grief of mind at the remembrance of sin, it proves indeed that sin went before, but takes not away that which was committed. It declares perhaps some change of mind in him that committed it, but takes not away the punishment that is due to justice. Moreover, repentance testifies that justice is lost, but repairs not the loss thereof. As pain, coming from a wound inflicted, makes not a medicine to itself, but receives it from some other thing, in like manner repentance goes before the remission of sins, but does not cause it; just as Seryphius did not cause the recovering of the city of Tarentum, who, unless he had first lost it, Fabius had not recovered it.

How many may you see in a state, who having violated the public laws, or having been guilty of treason against their prince, being overwhelmed with grief and shame, with all their heart lament the wickedness of their crime, and they do not wickedly in thus being ashamed and repenting. But yet they do not escape the due punishment of the law. Therefore, the detestation of their sin proves them guilty, but does not free them from condemnation. But if there is so great severity of laws and judgments in human offenses, which no deploring of in life can wash away, what then should be judged of these that are committed against the highest and infinite majesty? Angels offending in one thing were not unpunished, having been thrust out of heaven, and no sorrow could restore them again; what then should be said to us in this frail condition of sinful nature, in which dwelleth no good thing, who offend by daily negligence of duties, or filthiness of deeds? Is it sufficient to turn away the vengeance of so great a God, to say, “I have erred,” unless there be some other thing besides the sense of grief to help guilty and wounded nature; something which may defend this weak part of our repentance with a stronger safeguard, and may be sufficient to appease and reconcile offended Justice with a proportionable price, and which, so to speak, can contend with Divine Justice by opposing a righteousness equal thereunto? For, as the wound is infinite that is inflicted on our nature, so it is just that a remedy of the like nature should be applied, the strength and greatness whereof being infinite, may, by proportionable greatness, be suited to the Majesty offended; which verily consists, not in repentance, or charity, or any offices of ours, and is contained in Christ only, who is the only begotten Son of God. And because our faith only lays hold on him, and he cannot profit any but believers, therefore it comes to pass, that faith only, without works, that is, without any merits of works, completes all our righteousness before God. 14. CONCERNING THE PRAISE OF REPENTANCE, THE DIGNITY AND BENEFIT, AND PECULIAR OFFICE, THEREOF.

But you will say, To what purpose then is it to repent and to amend evil deeds? Or what shall be answered to these scriptures, which promise, in more places than one, the pardon of all sins to those that lament their sins, and are converted unto a better life?

I would have you take notice of this in the first place. When we attribute the virtue of justifying to faith, and in this case place it alone, being helped by no addition of our works, let no man so misunderstand, as if we drove away and banished all saving repentance, and other holy offices of duty and charity from every action of life.

For, if we openly confess the truth, what else is this whole life of godly men, but a continual repentance, and a perpetual detestation and condemnation of sin, whilst we are forced by the gospel, with daily groans to breathe forth this petition, “Forgive us our sins,” as if we were conflicting in a continual place of wrestling, in which sometimes we stand by the Spirit, sometimes we fall through the infirmity of the flesh, and sometimes we again make new repentance. Yet we always overcome and triumph by faith, obtaining the pardon of our faults, and we obtain true righteousness forever. Therefore, away with impudent slanders; let just judgment be exercised, and let things be comprehended, each in their own places and bounds.

Pious tears, a serious deploring of former iniquities, and a just care of living a better life, with all other pious exercises, are things which we do not thrust away, nor put out of their place; only we search what is the place, what is the peculiar office of those things. And, in the first place, this should not be doubted of by any man — that repentance, as it is an excellent gift of God, so it brings forth fruits not to be repented of; according to its office. The office or duty whereof I reckon to be twofold.

The first is, that which duly detests the sins committed. The other, that which diligently endeavors the reformation of the life, from which follow both great praise and greater fruits, and also very great incitements to virtue. For he that being weary of his former wickedness, applies his mind wholly to amend his ungodly life by a future reformation, verily he has made a great progress towards salvation; but he is not therefore, as yet, put into a certain possession of salvation, or because of that, taken up with the penitent malefactor into paradise. For it is one thing to weep for the things that one hath done amiss, and another thing to obtain the pardon of them.

Verily, he that seriously purposes with himself to amend his life, I judge that he ought justly to be praised; but yet that is not enough, as I suppose, to turn away the anger of an offended God, to put away the heinous nature of sin, to procure a clear tranquillity of conscience, and to shake off the tyranny of death. For to obtain that victory we need another panoply, or complete armor, than repentance, or the forces of our virtues; for nothing that we can do is sufficient to bring this to pass, but only faith in the Son of God. And therefore, repentance with charity, and other offices of that kind, have a necessary connection with faith; not that they may give form to this as to a dead matter, but that rather they may receive life and spirit from it.

Not that faith hath need of these for justification, but that they themselves may be justified by the value received by faith in Christ; which unless they were recommended upon the account of that faith, would all be abominable in the sight of God; and though they may be called works, yet cannot be called good works in God’s account, unless they are supported by faith.

Whence Augustine, admonishing not without cause, commands us to believe in Him that justifies the wicked, that our good works may be good works; for those deserve not to be called good, as long as they proceed not from a good root, etc.

But here you object approved testimonies and examples, rehearsed out of the sacred oracles of divine scripture, in which, without any mention of faith, salvation is assuredly promised to them that repent, as in Ezekiel, chapter <261801> 18. I desire not the death of a sinner, but that the wicked should turn from his way and live. There are set before us the examples of the Ninevites, of David, Manasseh, and others; and lest I should weary you, I will make a short collection of the whole matter. You say that “the prophets proclaim, and openly avouch, that there is no hope of salvation showed unto any, but only to those who are with their whole heart brought back from an unclean and wicked life to the practice of holiness,” etc. And teach us “that there is no other way at all, either to avert destruction, or procure salvation.” F76 There is one answer abundantly sufficient for all such objections. Namely, that there is indeed necessarily required a sincere reformation of heart and life, in those who are to obtain life. As in an heir, for whom there is appointed the possession of an inheritance to be enjoyed, there is necessarily required dutifulness towards his father; which dutifulness, nevertheless, when it is most exactly performed, is not any cause of obtaining the inheritance. And, in like manner, there is nothing that can be more certain, than that repentance and renovation do much commend the life of christians to God, yet it makes them not christians; neither does it so much commend the person of the penitent, as it is itself commended by the dignity of the man; who, if he is a christian, his repentance is approved.

But, if he be an alien from the faith, the lamenting of sin does not at all profit for the obtaining of righteousness, neither does it take away sin. But, as you say, “Repentance has divine promises,” and indeed I am not against your opinion in that, for God does not desire the death of a sinner, and promises also life to him that repents. That is right. But let us see how God promises it, and by pondering the circumstances of things, times, and persons, let us consider what is promised, and to whom, and what is the true cause of promising. Indeed the old law has dark promises, the gospel also has its own promises, as both covenants have likewise their own atonements. But what manner of promises has repentance in the old law?

God promises life to them that return from their wickedness. What! does he signify an eternal life, or a temporary peace and felicity of this outward life? If you answer an eternal life, I would then know what difference there will be between legal and evangelical promises? but when I steadfastly contemplate upon the nature and kind of both times and testaments in the holy word of God, and compare the virtue of one kingdom with the other, this seems to me to be the difference between Moses and Christ; that all his blessings and rewards, promised by God to those that lead their life according to the prescription of the law, go not beyond the bounds of a certain earthly blessedness and recompense. In which, notwithstanding, we think there are contained no small benefits of God.

For what could happen to any man in this mortal state, to which we are all of necessity subject, not only more desirable, but also of a larger extent by the wonderful power of God, than when you are, by the singular gift; of God, placed in such a country, as by a wonderful fruitfulness, and plenty of all good things, excels all other nations whatsoever; you should then pass your life in it, being compassed about with the divine protection. That you may not only yourself live long in the land, which the Lord your God hath given you, but that it should also be well with your sons after you, through all generations. That you may maintain your state with dignity, and abundance of all the best things, that the adversity of common fortune may have no power over you, that no enemy may annoy you, no tempest may cloud your tranquillity, that no storm of evil things may shake you; that at home and abroad, whether you are in the field, or in your house, going out or coming in, all things may happen successfully to you, according to your heart’s desire. And moreover, that God should bless all your wealth, and works of your hands, and that at no time the powerful providence of God should forsake you, unto the utmost bounds of the most aged life. Unto these add the plenteous fruitfulness of the land, the incomes of fruits and corn, the continual increases of wealth, the constant fruitfulness of cattle, besides other very plentiful promises and blessings of the like kind, whereof there is a long catalogue described in the law, which are appointed for those who inviolably obey the most holy precepts of God, and turn from their sins to righteousness. All which promises, being by the prophets set before the penitent, seem to be of such a sort, that they either signify temporary rewards in this world, and mitigate outward punishments in this life; or if they are referred to eternal life, they do at least imply the faith of a Mediator, by a certain silent condition. And therefore, among divines there are learned and famous men, who rightly and learnedly prove, that the preaching of repentance belongs peculiarly to the gospel and not to the law. For the law preaches damnation to sinners. The gospel preaches salvation to the penitent. Therefore, when the Lord says, Return, and ye shall be saved — I desire not the death of a sinner, etc., it is not the preaching of the law, which pronounces the sentence of condemnation without mercy; but it is the very voice of the gospel.

And this seems to me to be the chief difference between Moses and Christ, that he, being as it were a certain earthly Christ, procures an earthly liberty for the people, and sets before them the duties that are incumbent upon them in leading their lives; so all the doctrine and benefits of Christ are peculiarly and chiefly directed unto life eternal. and call us thereunto, especially from this world. But if we suppose that these legal promises should notwithstanding be referred to eternal life, yet, when they did not pass the bounds of that people only, and reached not to other nations, but to those peculiarly, who waited for the seed promised to them, therefore the promises of the law included faith, at least by a certain silent condition.

Wherefore, as touching those legal promises, in which the holy prophets held out unto them that repented, and were converted, pardon and many other benefits, in these must be considered, not only what is promised, but also, to whom the promise is made; being such, as belonged not to others, but those only, who being descended from the seed of Abraham, were contained in the covenant, and had a right to the Lamb slain from the beginning. Therefore, according to the authority of Augustine, we ought always to look to the root in such promises, and the mind should always be raised up to the Mediator of the new covenant, in whom alone all the promises of God are yea and amen. Which, seeing it is so, and seeing all the promises of eternal life are contained in this only Mediator, Christ, as in the only ark of the covenant, neither is there any faculty given us by God which attains to the knowledge of Christ and the understanding of his benefits, but faith only; therefore it is, that this illuminated faith, which only leads us to the knowledge of Christ, claims to itself only, all power of justifying, without any other means. Not so much because of the dignity of its act, or upon some account of charity joined with it, whereby it should be formed, but only upon the account, and by the virtue of its object, unto which it is bent, from whence it receives all this power of healing. Just as the Israelites of old, when they were envenomed with deadly poison, regained their health, not because they had eyes and a power of beholding, but because they fastened their eyes, at the command of God, upon the serpent, that was set up before their eyes. In like manner also, it comes to pass to us, that whereas it is Christ only, that bestows everlasting life and righteousness on them that behold him, and he becomes not a Savior, unless he be received by faith, hence the inward sight of faith being fixed upon him, brings salvation. Whence, by evident demonstration, an argument is framed from principles and causes, issuing into conclusions by necessary consequence according to scriptures. As thus, The beholding of the serpent set up, without any other condition being added, healed the wounded; Christ is the serpent set up for us to behold:

Therefore, the only beholding of Christ set up for us, (that is, faith in him,) without any addition whatsoever, brings healing to our wounds. F77 And I know the adversaries will not deny that Christ is the only serpent, who being made a curse for us, makes a medicine for our wounds. But if you ask, how? They will answer one thing, and the holy scriptures another; they affirm that this is performed, because Christ being punished for us on the cross, hath by his merits obtained for us the infusion of charity. Which, because it is the perfection of the law, therefore being acquired by the merit of Christ, and received by our free-will, brings forth righteousness, not that whereby we are accounted for just, but whereby we are both truly just, and deserve life. But verily this sophism neither agrees with the history of the Israelites, nor satisfies the argument propounded. For, if those that were then wounded by the serpents, by only beholding the serpent, without any other intermediate cause, received present health; verily either this type bears not the similitude of Christ, or Christ heals us by faith in his name only, without interposing the remedy of charity. Otherwise the mutual proportion of similitude between us and them, between Christ and the serpent, will not rightly agree. They lifted up their outward eyes, we our inward, they to the serpent, we to Christ. Both, by beholding, obtain health through the promise of God; they the health of their bodies, we of our souls. They presently, in beholding at the first sight, were healed in the same moment, by no endeavor of their own, but only upon the account of the object, and by virtue of the promise. And what other thing doth this mystical shadowing forth signify, but justification freely prepared and promised to us, by the sole contemplation of the object, whereby we apprehend Christ by faith? Will you hear the promise? That every one who seeth him may not perish, but have eternal life? And elsewhere, This righteous servant of mine by his knowledge shall justify many. But what is it to see him, but to believe in him? What is the knowledge of that righteous one, but the faith of Christ, which justifies from sin? Therefore, what outward beholding was to them, that the light of faith is to us. What health was to them, justification is to us, whereby we are delivered from the curse of sin, and are absolved without punishment. But if you ask, what way’? There is an answer in readiness, namely, according to the very similitude of the serpent, not by any labor of ours, but by contemplation of the object only, and by virtue of the promise. I pray you what is more evident? What more agreeable? And what then should be said to those illemployed men, who by their new doctrine, translate Free Justification, which is due only to faith, by virtue of the promise of God, unto works of charity. 15. OF SIN AND THE HEALING THEREOF BY CHRIST.

Those of the Romish faction seem so to contend about the righteousness of charity, that having almost banished faith out of the city of Rome, they place all the parts of our salvation, or at least the chief, in charity and sanctification. By what scriptures will they demonstrate that? “What!” say they, “doth not Christ heal us just as the brazen serpent healed the wounds of those that were hurt? Were we not all healed by his stripes? Isaiah 53. Is not he the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world? Is not he the lifegiving serpent, who gives cure for our wounds? And what are our wounds,” say they, “but sin? What is the healing of wounds but the putting away of sins? What then, shall the serpent be more powerful in fixing his sting, than Christ in taking it out? Shall Adam be more powerful to infect nature, than Christ to cleanse it? But how is nature purged, if yet the contagion of sin remains? In a diseased body, unless the hurtful humors are purged off, health is not recovered; and the air being surrounded on every side with black darkness, begins not to shine, before, the brightness of the sun being returned, the darkness vanishes. In like manner, in the inward diseases of minds, the causes of maladies must first be taken away, before health is restored. But the causes of evils are sins, which if they are taken away by Christ, how can they remain in the saints? — But if they abide not, by necessary consequence then it follows, that the roots of all sins being cut away, they are righteous in the sight of God by that righteousness, not that which is imputed, but that which is inherent in them, which is free of all spot of sin, which carefully observes the law, which informs the mind with charity, and beautifies it with divine ornaments, and makes us partakers of the divine nature.”

That sin is said to be abolished in the adult that are regenerate, is partly true and partly false, with a different respect had to divers circumstances.

But how that is understood must be explained. First, as touching the death of the Mediator which brings salvation — there is no defect in that, but it hath abundantly recovered whatsoever perished by Adam. Yea, it hath brought us benefits much greater than the evils which Adam procured unto us. But if it be asked how, and in what order the death of Christ effects this, I answer, not by denying, but by distinguishing. For, seeing two things are considerable in every sin, the guilt obliging, or the punishment of damnation, which Lombard calls passive corruption; and then active corruption, or the very act of sin, or the infirmity of corrupted nature — therefore there is again a twofold remedy prepared for this twofold evil; guilt obliging to eternal punishment, is not only taken away in the life to come, but also in this life, by the holy laver, and continual remission of sins for the sake of a Mediator.

But the infirmity of sinning, which is concupiscence in the flesh, and ignorance in the mind, also is abolished in the regenerate; but yet after its own order, and by its own degrees. For it is daily diminished in this life by the renewing of the Spirit, and it shall be abolished in the life to come, by the resurrection of the flesh. In the mean time the relics of infirmity cleave yet to the flesh, as both death and temporal punishments cleave yet to the flesh, to exercise the saints unto combat; not to condemn them to destruction. Just as the land of Canaan was promised to the Hebrews a great while before they took possession of it. Neither was the frame of this world made immediately in one moment, but the works of God were perfected in distinct intervals of days. So neither is the whole flesh suddenly renewed, but by degrees and daily increase, it is going on unto perfection.

An example may be conveniently taken from him, who being wounded, the Samaritan, Luke 10, doth not suddenly cure, but first pours wine into his wounds, washes off the blood, afterwards he adds oil, that he may mitigate the grief, and the wound may begin to cleave together. Then the wound being bound up, he puts the sick man upon the beast, and afterwards leaves him to be cured in the inn. Just so Christ, suffering the punishment of our sins in his body, by remission immediately takes away the guilt from us, pouring into our wounds the gladdening oil of the gospel, joined together with the wine of serious repentance; whereby whatsoever is deadly in the wounds, is washed away with a health-restoring pardon. But the wounds are not yet altogether healed. But health will be complete in eternal life. In the mean time he will have diseases cured in the church by godly exercises, the cross, and constant prayer. — Briefly, if those men desire to know what it is which Christ hath abolished in us by his death, I will say it in a word.

Whatsoever was laid upon Christ on the cross, to be carried away for our sakes — that is taken away from us in this flesh.

Only the guilt and punishment of sin, not the matter itself of our actions, was laid upon Christ to bear upon the cross.

The act or substance of sin, is not wholly abolished by the death of Christ in this flesh, but only the guilt and punishment of sin.

Or, more briefly let them take it thus: Whatsoever Christ, by dying, did bear for us, that alone he took away by his death in this life; Christ, by dying, did bear only the punishment of our sins, not the sins themselves in his body, whereof he had none: Therefore Christ, in this lite, took away only the punishment, not the matter itself of sin, by his death. But afterwards, by his power, he shall also take away the whole matter of sin in the glory of the resurrection to come. F78 16. CONCERNING THE NECESSITY OF THE PRACTICE, AND CARE OF GOOD WORKS.

Therefore, in this place something hath been said of faith; and all that manner of righteousness which the divine authority attributes to faith only, without works. From which, just conclusions being drawn, it evidently appears, if I am not mistaken, wherein all our righteousness consists. Not in works without faith, nor joined together with faith, but wholly in faith without works; that is, without the merits of works, or any condition of meriting. For if faith, which is nothing else but an internal and illuminated contemplation, and receiving of Christ the Son of God, receives a free promise of life in him; I do not well see what the good deeds of our life, though excellent, can perform in this part of justification. Yet it does not follow from hence, that the holy practice of good works “for necessary uses,” that I may speak with Paul, is not upon any account necessary.

Neither is it a reason forcible enough, if any man teaches that no trust should be put in works, that therefore there is no need of any care to do good. For what logic is this? Works should not be trusted in when they are performed — Therefore there is no need to endeavor to perform good and holy works. Or — We are no other ways justified but upon the account of faith which is in Christ Jesus — Therefore offices of piety are not necessary in those who are justified by faith. Or, if it were said, That as faith only, not upon the account of love, but of the Mediator, promotes us to righteousness — Therefore, it profits nothing, to repent, and to weep and mourn for sins committed! Or, That it is of no concern after what manner every one leads his life — for so you seem to gather, and not you only, Osorio, but also as many as being like to you, bear an enmity to Luther.

And hence such fierce outcries and falsehoods against him. As if he brought in a certain new kind of faith, that was not heard of before, and was unknown in former times: as if he were an example of wickedness, an encourager of slothfulness, a turbulent person, and disturber of religion, who trampled upon all actions worthy of praise, and exercises of eminent virtue, as things of no worth; and condemned pious tears, and judged those men abominable and wicked who wept and mourned for their iniquities; or upon any account lamented the sins they committed! Or, as if he taught a certain new way of salvation, and such a one, as neither requires works of us, nor any sorrow, neither occasions any trouble to sinners; but teaches that confidence alone is sufficient — namely, such a confidence, whereby every wicked and ungodly man may be supposed acceptable to God, though he himself do not at all endeavor to restrain his wickedness, or pretend to any desire after piety, but only so supposes in his own mind, that he is dear to God. That the favor of God is prepared for all, yea for the unclean and wicked, though sin rules and reigns with an universal dominion over them. Moreover, that Luther should think it a great wickedness to lament man’s first ruin, or fall, and to fear punishment, etc.

F79 Besides other things of the like sort, no less absurd than false, which being wrested to a wrong sense, are laid to his charge, not that they are really true, but they are purposely feigned, that by any means possible you may render him odious to the ignorant people! But these cunning attempts avail nothing; for the writings and sermons of Luther are publicly known.

There are also extant the public confessions of the Saxon churches, first presented unto the emperor Charles, in the diet of Augsburg in 1530. And afterwards in 1551, showed and offered to the council of Trent, in which what they teach concerning the true way of justification, according to the word of God; what they judge and preach of repentance, and the holy fruits of good works, is set forth; by all which they do sufficiently defend themselves against your frivolous calumnies, and most vain accusations, so that there is no need of any other defense besides. F80 17. THE OPPOSITE ASSERTIONS OF THE ADVERSARIES, AGAINST THE FREE IMPUTATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, PRODUCED AND EXAMINED.

Which things, seeing they are so, and sufficient defense has been made for those of our profession, let us proceed to that which remains.

We will then first declare the opposite assertions and decrees of the adversaries, what they say and judge concerning righteousness, faith, grace, repentance, and works; and next we will compare their opinions with ours; and both together with the holy gospel of God, that it may be the more evident to the reader, what should be judged of both. And here first comes forth unto us Osorio, none of the meanest champions in this cause, all whose contention against Luther aims at this, to destroy all imputation of righteousness, and to leave no other way of righteousness but that which consists in works, and observation of the law; and which might maintain, according to the decrees of Trent, that we are not only esteemed righteous, but also are really or inherently righteous in the sight of God, even unto justification. In which way of justifying he does not exclude faith and grace, but he so mingles these together, that the praise itself’ of righteousness is founded on works, and all else is so subservient, that faith first goes, before, that it alone may prepare and make way for the obtaining of grace. And grace afterwards follows, which brings forth good works in us, and then works themselves, perfect, and complete righteousness. For after this manner doth Osorio argue. Righteousness being so described by him, that it seems to consist not at all in faith without works, but in works, which are called works of faith, not of the law. And he denies that it is possible for whosoever has not that righteousness to be received into the favor of God; relying chiefly upon this argument, “Because that divine nature, being most holy, and most pure, and which can endure no filthiness of iniquity, it behooves him therefore, that would enjoy the presence thereof, to conform himself unto the same image; for there is no communion between light and darkness, there is no union between the holiness of righteousness, and the wickedness of unrighteousness.” F81 He therefore concludes that Luther, and they of Luther’s party, do err, “First in this, that they dare assert that sin in those, whom that infinite purity hath united unto itself, by a most holy love, is not wholly removed, nor altogether abolished and plucked up by the roots, nor all its fibres quite extirpated. And also, that they affirm that a law is laid upon us by God, which cannot be kept. In the one of which the Divine clemency and bounty is distrusted: in the other, abominable reproach is east upon his infinite power and Godhead.” F82 18. CONCERNING RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ITS DEFINITION GIVEN BY OSORIO, AND OTHERS.

Osorio defines righteousness, that “it is a state of soul founded on the law of God,” and that it bears a clear resemblance to the immutability of the divine virtue.” In like manner also Andradius not much differs from him. “Righteousness,” saith he, “is an unmovable equity and government of mind, which measures all its actions and counsels by the law of God.” And the same again presently; “Righteousness is a habitrol mind fashioned by the divine law, to obey that divine law and will, as it persuades to perform the offices of every virtue,” etc. F83 Herein is your error, that whereas there is a twofold and divers sort of righteousness set before us in scripture, the one which is of the law, and peculiar to God; the other which is of faith, and peculiar to us; you are so taken up in defining the one, that you do not at all touch upon the other, about which the chief matter of controversy is here. And so you proceed in setting forth the perfect excellency of the Divine righteousness, and justly so indeed to be accounted of, that in the mean while you leave no righteousness to man at all. For what righteousness shall man have, if righteousness be so strictly defined, that it cannot consist but of works of perfect righteousness, nor be communicated unless to perfect men? For now, seeing no men are so perfect in this world but that this miserable depravation of our nature is far from this exactness, and there is none, as Augustine witnesses, as long as he is in this life, who pretends himself to be just in the sight of God — by necessary consequence it follows, that either there is no righteousness of ours at all in this life, or it must be another titan that which your definition thus circumscribes to us; for thus you define it; “That it is an excellent state of mind, conformed by the Divine law, founded upon Divine prescription, free from all wickedness, and coming near in its resemblance to the Divine nature.” F84 And indeed in that state we were created in the beginning. But we have lost it long since, neither are we yet perfectly restored, but we shall be restored at length by the divine power and bounty of Christ, on the day that this our corruption shall put on incorruption, and this mortal body shall rise again to immortality. In which state of resurrection we believe with Augustine that we shall fulfill righteousness, that is, we shall have complete righteousness. “In comparison of that resurrection,” saith he, “the whole life that we now live is but clung,” etc. And where now is that excellent habit of mind, coming so near in its resemblance to the divine nature? Where is that constant equity of reason, and moderation of mind free from all sin? Or what do you think of this life, which Isaiah calls a filthy cloth, and Augustine calls dung, if it be compared with that which is true righteousness?

Whereby may be evidently discerned, as I suppose, what comes of this famous theological theory of righteousness. For, if there is no way of entering into the kingdom of life but by righteousness, and no righteousness, according to your opinion, can consist but of a perfect observance of the divine law, and dignity of works, what follows then?

You must either deny that we are sinners in this life, and assert that we are righteous by works; or if, according to scripture, you confess us to be sinners, you must despoil us of all righteousness, and shut us out of the kingdom of God. And what will you say to Augustine, who esteems all the righteousness of this life as dung? What will you say to Isaiah, who says it is as a defiled cloth? What will you say to Paul, who accounted it as loss?

What will you say to Christ, who calls them that acquit themselves most righteously, not only servants, but also unprofitable servants?

If the scripture evidently testifies that every man is a liar — if the beloved evangelist condemns him for a liar, who would seem to himself to be free from sin — if, according to the testimony of Paul, we have come short of the glory of God — if, as James testifies, in many things we offend all — if most holy men, in prayer, cry daily, Forgive us our sins — if Augustine manifestly denies that any man, even after he hath obtained the remission of sins, hath lived so righteously in this flesh, or that he doth live so righteously, that he hath no sin at all — if with one mouth the public consent of the most approved fathers testifies the same — if moreover continual private confessions — if conscience itself, which is as a thousand witnesses, convince even thyself that thou art a perpetual sinner, darest thou, who art a sinful man, confuted by thy own works, dream yet of the righteousness of works, and promise heaven to thyself, and others, by works? And does not the example of the pharisee in the gospel, Luke 18. affright you, who, having been deceived by a false opinion of his own righteousness, and who, whilst flattering himself that he was not like other men, was yet so far from that which he persuaded himself concerning himself, that he went away worse than those whom he most despised in comparison of himself? But how much more modestly would you behave yourself, if with a humble meekness restraining that insolence of spirit, you would either frame yourself’ to the example of David, who durst not come forth into the presence of God, or would put on that most humble mind of Tertullian, who comparing his life with another man, “Thou art a sinner,” saith he, “like me, yea, a less sinner than I, for I acknowledge a preeminence in my sins.” At least you might and ought to be admonished by the sharp rebuke of the Laodiceans, who when they had highly flattered themselves with a false persuasion of their own righteousness, which they took upon them by works, did not in any other thing more displease the divine judgment. Therefore Augustine said right,” Let no man flatter himself: let man take sin, which is his own, and let him leave righteousness to God.”

But what is the leaving righteousness to God, but abandoning all righteousness of works, to confess ourselves to be that which we are, sinners, and God only to be just? Which also Saint Paul more evidently confirms in these words, To declare his righteousness, that he may be just, and the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus, Romans 3. In which, a twofold manner of righteousness presents itself unto us; of which the one is divine, and is attributed to God only; the other is only referred to men. The first therefore, is peculiar to God, the other is called “our righteousness;” but what difference is between this and that, there is no great difficulty to discern. For that which is the righteousness of God, appears evident in all his works, and the perfect exactness of his holiness. But that which is the righteousness of men, is received by faith only; not that faith in acting is wholly without works, but because in justifying, works do nothing before God, and that is it which the apostle seems to intend in these words: saying, For this purpose, that he may be just, and the justifier of him, that is of the faith of Jesus Christ, etc. For this purpose, saith he, that he may be just. How is he just? by faith? no, but by works; that thou mayest be justified in thy sayings, and mayest overcome when thou art judged. But now, What way are we justified? by works? Not at all, but by faith.

Concerning which the apostle saith, A justifier of him who is of the faith of Jesus Christ. F85 He said not, Him that behaved himself well by working — but, Him that is of the faith of Jesus Christ. Whence, a disciple being witness, whosoever shall believe in Christ with a direct and intent faith, it follows by necessary consequence that this man is esteemed righteous, and is justified before God. For otherwise, to what purpose should God be said to justify us by faith, or what need would there be here of any mention of faith at all, if holy works, of themselves, were sufficient to make up a righteousness?

All which being thus deduced and confirmed, it is easy to understand what should be judged of your definition. For if there is no other righteousness, but that which by your definition is placed in holy works, and a perfect obedience to the law of God, it thence follows, that either we are not tainted with any sins at all, or that we must necessarily confess that we are excluded “from all possession of righteousness.” Both of which are false; for though sin and righteousness, in respect of one and the same thing, through a mutual antithesis, whereby they are opposed one against another, cannot come together, yet nothing hinders, but we may be sinners, and also righteous upon a different account. You will say, How can that be? If you know not, I will tell you, and, in a word, that you may understand the more expeditiously. We are sinners in ourselves, we are righteous in Christ.

Hereunto belongs the mystery of Christ the Son of God, given to us by his Father, that he, with all his works and benefits, may become wholly ours, for our right and for our advantage. So he is said by the prophet to be born; so he is said to be given, not for himself, but for us. So he was righteous, so he fulfilled the law, so he died and rose again, that his life might be to us righteousness, his death might be redemption, and his resurrection might be life and glory. Moreover, whatsoever is Christ’s, yea, whatsoever Christ is, is not so much his own as yours, and as mine, and as it is all ours who by faith are Jesus Christ’s. Therefore our salvation consists of the redemption purchased by another, and not of our own works. For herein shines forth the more than stupendous mercy, and unspeakable grace of a most tender-hearted God, that he even dedicated his only begotten Son wholly to our advantage, so that whatsoever was performed by him was performed, not for his sake, but for ours. Neither had it respect to him who had no private need, but it redounds as a public good to us all, because he sustains the public person of all before his Father. Wherefore, if you desire to know what is our righteousness, Paul and Peter will show it to you much better than in the Romish definitions.

For our righteousness is Christ, our righteous Lord, through whose name as many as believe in his name, receive remission of sins. What more, I pray you, would you require unto perfect righteousness, than that sins may never be imputed, and that the punishments due to your sins may never be inflicted on you? 19. CONCERNING INHERENT AND IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS.

But perhaps it is not enough to you, that the sins you committed are not imputed to you, but you desire that nothing may be committed, which may be justly imputed. And for that cause you think no man should be reckoned among the just, but he whose lift, being’ upon all accounts untainted, is conformable to the perfect rule of the law, having abolished the footsteps of all sins. And indeed that should be wished for, if wishes in this case could do any good.

But if those things cannot be kept by us which are commanded by God, that comes not to pass through any default of his, but through our default; who being at first created by him very good, brought this disability upon ourselves, and threw ourselves into that state of sinning. And then, what if it so seemed good to his omnipotent wisdom, to do thus for a declaration of his own righteousness? as St. Paul teaches, Romans 3, for this purpose that he should be righteous; that is, that his righteousness might by this means become the more evident through our unrighteousness, which could not otherwise have been, unless he only had been declared to be righteous, and we upon the same account unrighteous, according to works.

Which if it had not been so, what need had there been why he should justify us by faith, whom he had seen to be righteous and perfect by works?

Yea, you say there is very great need of faith, and you add a reason: “Because all the means of destroying and restraining lust consist in the grace of God alone, which must be obtained by faith; and there is no other way showed to extinguish and destroy it. Therefore faith, as you say, prepares the mind for righteousness, and makes it fit, that the great Author of all good things should bring into it the seed of righteousness.” F86 But does faith nothing but prepare us for righteousness? And now, what way does it prepare? Because, say you, the grace of God is obtained by faith and the merit of Christ. What follows? “For it is God only, by whose almighty power and bounty we break the force of lust, and restrain all its importunity, and maintain the perfect offices of virtue,” etc. Who ever denied, that it is God only that can do those things? But is our whole salvation and righteousness in the sight of God, contained only in driving out of the mind those little heats of all evil lusts whereof you speak, in abolishing the roots of all vices, and in maintaining duly and constantly the office of perfect virtue? 20. HOW FAR THE WORKS OF HUMAN LIFE ARE FROM THE PERFECTION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

But now, Do you yourself perform all these things, which you require in us for the perfection of righteousness? Hath the great Husbandman watered the happy ground of your mind, with so great a rigor and verdure of his bounty, that no wild vines or briers do anywhere appear in all your life?

That no lust draws you aside from your duty? No perturbation of affections throws you down from your state of constancy? No consupiscence of the eyes defiles the purity of your mind? What if a man is accounted unchaste before God, if so much as his eyes are adulterous; if he is next to a murderer that is so much as rashly angry at his brother; if he that calls his brother Raca, or bespatters the name of his neighbor with the smallest reproach is in danger of the council, Matthew 5, what shall be said to him, who hath poured forth so much virulency and gall of bitterness? So that I need not go through all the precepts of the divine law, as concerning loving God above all, concerning the strictest love to our neighbor; concerning shunning offenses, putting up with injuries, praying for enemies; the abdication of this world, the framing the life to a dove-like simplicity, and other such like things. Which things, seeing they are so various in kind, and so difficult to observe, we may ask of you, not what ought to be done, but what you yourself do express in deeds? Not what the divine grace is able to do in you, but what it does in effect? Whether he heaps you up with so many and such great gifts of his, that you are able to perform all things, that are written in the royal law. Which if you can avouch so to be, I willingly congratulate your happiness, and am not at all against your obtaining by way of merit that which your works do merit, but that you may go up to the kingdom, and may take yourself unpinioned wings, as Arnobius saith, wherewith you may go happily to heaven, and may fly to the stars, where you may reign with Christ; and you only, all other sinners being shut out, may overcome with God when you are judged! But in the interim here it comes into my mind to ask you a thing, How will this consist with that which the church sings in a holy hymn, and sings so aright: “Thou only art holy?” For how shall he only have the praise of that thing, as saith Jerome, which he hath common to himself with many? What if you think there is no difference between his righteousness and ours; and you suppose there is no righteousness, but, what proceeds chiefly from works; either let your life show to us the same works which Christ wrought, or if you cannot, let him only have the honor of this title, that Christ only may be righteous, and Osorio may confess himself to be unrighteous and a sinner; that now the saying may truly have place here, which just now I cited out of Augustine, “Let man take sin to himself, which is his own, and leave righteousness to God.”

But, you will say, What then, is there no righteousness which belongs to men? It is not denied that there is; but it is such a righteousness as must be sought elsewhere than in works. But you may say, Where then? Not only I, but also St. Paul will tell you, The righteousness of God, saith he, to all, and upon all that believe. And again in the same epistle; The Gentiles which followed not after righteousness, laid hold on righteousness, namely, the righteousness of faith. On the contrary, Israel which followed after the law of righteousness, attained not unto the law of righteousness. Why so?

Because they sought it not by faith, but as by the works of the law. And writing to the Galatians, Knowing, saith he, that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, we also believe in Jesus Christ, that we may be justified by the Faith of Jesus Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh shall be justified by the works of the law, etc. Who is so dim-sighted but he may clearly see what the meaning of the apostle is in these words? Wherefore, it is the more to be wondered at, how great a stupidity darkens the minds of some of our own countrymen, and especially those jesuits, who in a thing so perspicuous yield not unto apostolic authority, so that they seem to have sallied out of some Trophonian den, for no other purpose, but that waging war with St.

Paul, they may differ wholly from him in their opinion. For what things can more fiercely encounter than such an opposition as this — Christ is our righteousness? Faith is imputed for righteousness? If of work, then grace is not grace? The just lives by faith? F87 And after this manner doth the apostle and prophet instruct us. What say they? We are justified by works, and yet grace is no less grace. The just doth not live by faith, but the believer liveth by the righteousness of works. And whereas Paul doth so attribute our righteousness to faith only, that he attributes nothing to works, so often repeating these exclusive words — without works, apart from works, not according to works. F88 If it is grace, then it is not of works. That I may be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Jesus Christ. To him that believeth in Him that justifies the ungodly, faith is imputed unto righteousness. Also placing Jews and Gentiles as in a scheme, that by experience itself it may be evident how hazardous it is to seat the hope of salvation any otherways than in the faith of Christ only. On the contrary, those men overthrowing all these sayings of Paul, endeavor this only by all the means they can, that they may measure the whole slim of our justification by the performance of works, and not by faith; that they may take away all imputation of the righteousness of another from us; that faith may no more contribute any thing to righteousness, but that it may render us worthy and fit, on whom the divine grace should confer freely for the merit of Christ the first infusion of inherent righteousness. F89 By which new qualities being received for the merit of Christ, now man himself by that inherent righteousness, as their words express it, merits a greater and fuller righteousness, reconciliation and adoption, and at length life eternal!

Moreover, they proceed so far that they assert there is no righteousness at all, but that which is peculiar to every man, and they so define it, that in all the nature of righteousness there is no place at all for faith, and there appears not so much as any mention thereof. For thus they define it, “The righteousness of God, which is revealed in the gospel, is a virtue in God, which distributes to every one according to their deserving.” Alphonsus adds, “Evangelical righteousness is an equal proportion of merits to rewards.” F90 Will any man suppose that those who profess such vile and absurd things have been exercised with serious meditation at any time in the holy scriptures? or that they have not rather bestowed their whole time and understanding in heathenish and Aristotelian trifles? But now it will not be amiss to take notice with what props of reason they confirm these their opinions. 21. AGAINST THE JESUITS AND THEIR ARGUMENTS, WHEREBY THEY CONFIRM INHERENT RIGHTEOUSNESS OUT OF ARISTOTLE.

What, say they, have you not at any time read that form of reasoning in Aristotle? “He is righteous — therefore he is endued with righteousness.

Such a man is learned — therefore he hath learning?” We have read it, say they, in the topics of Aristotle. That is true, indeed. But have ye not also at any time read in the epistles of Paul, these forms of speaking, Christ is our righteousness? We are made the righteousness of God by him; faith is imputed unto righteousness; the just shall live by faith? F91 What then? Shall we believe Aristotle more than Paul? “We believe fishermen,” saith Ambrose, “not logicians.” And should we translate our faith which we owe to God, with faithful Abraham, unto men that are sophisters?

But lest those jesuits should say that they are not answered, let us look more nearly into the force of their argument, and pierce them through with their own dart. They “deny that ever this external attribution was heard of since the world was; that a thing should receive a name extrinsically from qualities, that can be within, so that they should be accounted righteous before God, not by inherent qualities, but the righteousness of another, namely, Christ’s, which is applied to us by faith,” etc. And indeed this reason, taken out of Aristotle, might perhaps be of some force, if they had omitted these words, “before God.” But seeing there is a twofold and diverse righteousness, the one which is called the righteousness of the law, the other which is called the righteousness of faith; and seeing the judgments of God and the judgments of men differ, they foolishly and ridiculously argue from human things to divine, from the righteousness of the law to the righteousness of faith; for men are not justified in the sight of God upon the same account that they are esteemed righteous before men.

Yea, oftimes it happens otherways, that those whom this world does most cry up, and judges to be just by their inherent qualities, God condemns the same men of unrighteousness, chiefly out of those very same qualities: and so on the contrary part. This may easily appear evident by the example of the pharisee and the publican, if either of which were to be valued according to the inherent merits of their life, what cause was there, why the publican should go home more righteous than the pharisee?

Even as with a like diversity the scripture sometimes names those dead, whom human philosophy would judge to be alive, and in perfect health.

Suffer ye, saith Christ, the dead to bury their dead. But pray, how dead? unless they were alive, they could not bury their dead? What shall we then say? that the scripture lies, in calling those dead, who were alive? Or does that jesuitical rule rather lie which judges those alive by reason of their inherent qualities, whom the scripture calls dead?

How shall these things, so contrary to one another, agree together — but that it is one thing to live, to be dead, and to be righteous before God, and another thing before men? The books of holy scripture are full of such examples.

Have ye not read these words of the apostle in the holy scriptures of God?

By the disobedience of one man many were made sinners; and again, by the obedience of one man many shall be made righteous. What is the meaning of these words, By the disobedience of one many are sinners? Again, By the obedience of one many are righteous? Does this attribution seem internal, or rather external? Was that rebellion peculiar to Adam, or was it ours? If it was ours, how was it ours, but by external imputation? What! when you hear these words of the apostle, He made Christ to become sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God through him, etc.? 2 Corinthians 5. Did either receive from qualities that can be said to be within? he, that he was made sin, or we, that we are called and made righteousness through him? Moreover, when the publican in the gospel is said to have gone to his house justified rather than the pharisee, what was the cause why the one went away justified, and the other went away unjustified? It came not so to pass by a habit of inherent righteousness, but upon this account rather, because the publican confessed his own unrighteousness, therefore of wicked he is made righteous; the other, because he seemed righteous to himself; through a false opinion of his own righteousness, was manifested to be unrighteous, according to the testimony of holy scripture. The righteous man no sooner speaks than he accuses himself; and in another place, Confess thy sins, that thou mayest be justified; therefore that saying of Augustine seems worthy of praise, “This is the true way to perfection, if every man acknowledge in truth, and confess in humility his own imperfection.” And Bernard spake no less to the purpose, who bids us consider the pharisee praying, “He was no robber, nor unjust, nor an adulterer, not careless of fastings, nor unmindful of the poor, nor unthankful to God — what then was wanting? This one thing was wanting, that he took no care to know what was wanting to him, but made the most of his own merit, and therefore returned empty. On the contrary, the publican, who emptied himself; and took care to bring an empty vessel, received the more plentiful grace.”

By these things I suppose it is sufficiently evident, what this righteousness is, and of what sort, which makes us righteous before God; whether it is Christ’s or ours? If it is Christ’s, it is not ours: how then of works of our righteousness? If it is ours, it is not Christ’s: how is a man of wicked made righteous? “If of wicked he is made righteous,” that I may speak in the words of Augustine, “what are the works of wicked men? Let the wicked man now boast of his works, I give to the poor, I take nothing away from any man, etc., then thou art in this thy boast wicked, and thy works are none.” It is a false opinion, which men plead for, that a man cannot be called righteous by an external righteousness. Be it so, indeed, that no man should rightly be called righteous, but upon the account of righteousness — what then I seeing Christ is our righteousness, is there not sufficient cause upon that account why we should be called righteous? Should any man require a better righteousness than that which is Christ’s? And what form of expressing, though external, can hinder, but that the righteousness which is peculiar to Christ, may also be called ours, and may be common both to him and us; especially seeing he is wholly ours with his merits, virtues, benefits, and all his goods? which qualities, though they are not properly in ourselves, yet being received from him, they pass likewise into our possession. As the bodies of the planets, though dark of themselves, yet they shine and are made bright, not with their own, but another’s light, being enlightened with the light of the sun; just so it comes to pass to us, that we are made righteous, kings, priests, sons and heirs of God, not by any property of our nature, or condition of works, but because the Son and heir himself is said to be made sin and a curse for us, not for any sin inherent in him, but imputed to him.

For the end of all this controversy is, that we should search for a righteousness, which is no moral human virtue, but which is a spiritual grace and gift of God; which is not ours, but which is proper to Christ, whence he only is called holy and just, and we are called justified in him, not upon the account of works, but faith, which God imputes for righteousness unto them that believe in his name. And hence it is rightly called, The righteousness of faith, and therefore faith itself is righteousness; whereby we are accounted righteous before God, being endued not with that external righteousness, about which these men philosophize, but being beautified and adorned with a peculiar and internal righteousness, which being so, who sees not that it is false and sophistical which these men take out of Aristotle; that we are justified by works, or else we should upon no account be called just?

What can any man do more justly, or more holily, than to believe in the only begotten Son of God, and to embrace him with all his faith, as the gospel bears witness? This is the work of God, that ye should believe in him, whom he hath sent. And what doctrine is more excellent, than to know Christ the Son of God aright, and the power of his death and resurrection? Which knowledge, how much it is valued by God above all other disciplines and arts, may appear by this, which is foretold unto us of Christ by the divine prophet; and my righteous servant, saith he, by his knowledge shall justify many. What if our justification is placed only in the knowledge of the Son of God, and the faith of the Son is nothing else but knowledge divinely inspired? what credit then should be given to those jesuitical sophisters, who neither admit of any external cause of justifying, nor acknowledge any other but this, which they themselves place in works?

Thus they dispute concerning the righteousness of Christ, “Because it is not our own, but is peculiar to Christ. There is no cause why a man should take upon him the name of righteous, from that righteousness, which is another’s; according to the law of Aristotle.” Which how frivolous it is, and contrary to the faith of the gospel, it will not be difficult to demonstrate by very clear words of scripture; for, to what purpose is the Divine Love preached in the gospel, and in the prophets, to have given Christ his only begotten Son unto the world; unless he had been willing to make us partakers together with him of all his wealth, virtues, merits, and whatsoever good things belong to him? Whence Paul says, He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things? What if Christ was given to us by his Father, poured forth, and is wholly made ours, with all his goods and gifts, is there anything in him, whether wisdom, or justice, or sanctification, or life, or victory, or death, or any other thing besides, which we may not by a due right lay claim to as our own? If it is ours, upon what account then do those sophists preach that it belongs not to us? Of which thing we may reason thus.

Whatsoever Christ did for us, is esteemed ours, just as if it had been done by ourselves. Christ fulfilled all righteousness for us.

Therefore all the righteousness of Christ is ours by faith, just as if it had been fulfilled by us. 22. IT IS CONFIRMED BY THE EXAMPLE OF ADAM, THAT CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS IS OURS.

Perhaps this will appear more evident by example. Let us look upon Adam, and in him let us behold the public calamity of our nature; and also let us contemplate salvation restored again by the second Adam, from the ruin received by the first.

For, if the doctrine and force of contraries be the same, according to philosophers, it will be more easy by that means, from the evil of the one, to judge of the advantages of the other. Then let us compare both Adams with one another, the first earthly of the earth, with this second, heavenly from heaven. Who, though in their whole nature they are most different one from another; yet by the singular wisdom of God, it so comes to pass, that there is a wonderful resemblance between things that differ very much, and the reason of our salvation being restored, agrees most aptly with the reason of the ruin received.

First, in this, that both were originally princes, and authors of our propagation, one of the earthly and the other of the heavenly. And then afterwards there was added another thing in which Adam was a wonderful type and image of Christ who was to come a long time after. How that came to pass we shall very well learn of Paul himself. As, saith he, by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, many shall be made righteous. And he doubles the same again and again in many words. As, saith he, by one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death came upon all men, in that all have sinned, etc. And presently, If therefore, by the sin of one man, death came upon all men to condemnation, in like manner, by the justification of one man, good is propagated unto all men to the justification of life. What is more clear than these words of the apostle? The whole force and sum of the argument drives at this — That the true nature of our righteousness is not due to our virtues, but we must be beholden for it to the merit of another.

In short, no way will be sufficient that you may shake from off your neck what you drew from Adam, or that you should attain that which is in Christ, that is, that you should appear righteous in the sight of God; unless Christ come unto your succor another way, than by any of your endeavors how great soever. You will say, After what manner is all this? No man can tell you better than St. Paul. For after what manner the former Adam ruined you, after the same manner the second Adam, Christ, restores you.

That first author of your kind, whilst thou wast not yet born, killed thee in the root by his, not by thy rebellion, and drew thee into misery and destruction. In Adam behold Christ; for in like manner, being born and having died for thee, by his own innocency, not by thine, he hath restored thee again to true innocency and paradise. As therefore the transgression of Adam was imputed to thee, who didst not sin after the similitude of his transgression; so the righteousness of Christ is imputed unto thee, who didst not work after the similitude of Christ. In the one of whom behold the severity of judgment, in the other the excellency of grace. What if this perhaps seems hard and strange to any man in Adam, that I should suffer the punishment of another man’s sin, and that those should be punished for the crime of another, who committed nothing. For it must needs be another man’s crime; seeing I am deprived of righteousness, not for my own fault, but for the fault of my parent. Let this same man again, leaving Adam, cast back his eyes upon Christ. In whom the bounty of a most plentiful clemency makes amends for the severity of the former judgment. For from one man death passed upon all, on them also who sinned not; and justly, though I do not so much regard merit here, I only consider the manner of the thing. Come then, let us compare the type with the antitype; from the disobedience of one man, as I said, death passed upon all men, who sinned not after his example; which is a thing that cannot be denied. After the same manner again, from the righteousness of one man, life is communicated unto all, who did not like him work righteousness; which is agreeable by the like reason, for otherwise Christ could not agree to his type. Here now consider, whosoever thou art, christian reader, whether the judgments of God in Adam should be more dreaded by thee, in which the severity of God imputed unto thee, being not yet born, that which thou hadst not committed — or whether mercy in Christ the Lord, should be more loved, who, to thee, not working, but believing in him that justifies the wicked, imputes the righteousness thou didst not deserve.

By which you see, if Paul the apostle should be credited, how unworthy of any credit your doctrine is, whereby you take away the grace of all imputation, and leave no righteousness beside to miserable sinners, but what every man purchases by his own good deeds; which how true it is, let us examine by that place of Paul, which convinces you of a shameful error by this most evident argument. Argument . — After what manner Christ was made sin for us, after the like manner we are made the righteousness of God by Christ.

Christ was made sin for us no other way, but by imputation only.

Therefore, we are made righteous before God no other way but by imputation only.

What will you say to this so clear evidence of manifest scripture? Do you not see that you are tied on every side with bonds that are apostolic and wholly of adamant? Now what turning, what hole to escape at, can you find? Christ is made sin for us. Wherefore? That we might be made the righteousness of God by him, saith the apostle. Will you deny it? I suppose you will not. What way then was he made sin? Will you say, By committing it? No. By imputation then? Certainly it is so. Right indeed. If he who knew no sin, is made a sinner before God, by the imputation of the sin of another; shall not we, who are by nature unrighteous, in like manner be made righteous before God, by the same dispensation of mercy and imputation? What can hinder but that as the rebellion of one was imputed to us all to destruction, after the same manner the obedience of one may be imputed to us all for salvation? Consider what you should answer in this case, not only to me, but also to Paul. That this may be more clear, first, you see this common and fatal necessity of dying, whereunto all mortal men are liable; which, with the same foot, beats at the gates of king’s palaces, and at the doors of poor men’s cottages. Now I would know of you, whence this cause and necessity of dying had its first original, and began to make havoc? Whether through our fault, or the fault of another?

You will say, Not through our fault. What if death had snatched yourself away in your infancy, you had then deserved nothing yourself; and yet, were you not born on that condition that you should die? Verily many infants and innocents are daily snatched away, who deserved nothing themselves, yet they were born on those very terms, that they were mortal and liable to die at some time. Why so, I beseech you? Unless it be because they proceed from him, the transgression of which one man was imputed to all, to suffer the punishment of death; so that is cause sufficient why you should die, because you are propagated from him, who deserved death. — You will say, By a hard enough law. I also would say the same with you, unless the same justice of the eternal God had opposed an equal remedy to this great calamity, making amends for, and also over-balancing just severity with a like kind of mercy. You will say, what way? That way which St. Paul mentions in this place, He that knew no sin, saith he, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God through him. What is it to be made sin for us, but to undergo what was due to our sins? Which if the most merciful Father condescended to translate unto his only begotten Son, not for any demerit of his, but for our sakes only, verily it cannot be, neither is it agreeable to the justice of God, nor to reason, that he should punish both his own Son, and us also for our sins.

So that one of those two must needs follow, that if Christ hath made satisfaction for us, either justice hath nothing now in us, that it may accuse us of — or if it have, it is false, which is mentioned in this place by Paul, that Christ was made sin for us; also that which we hear in the prophet, And he shall bear their iniquities, etc. For how did he bear them, if they remain yet to be borne by us? Whence the apostle concluding very well, reasons to this purpose: That we might be made, saith he, the righteousness of God through him; as if he had said, As Christ did bear our sins, so also we do bear his righteousness. He was punished, not for his own sins, but ours; in like manner we are endued with righteousness, which is not ours, but his.

In which the admirable work of our redemption is seen; where mercy encountering with justice, doth so contend that it overcomes also, and yet so overcomes, that in the mean while there is not made any violation of justice, but a just recompense for sins. For as unjust as it is, that He, who was free from sin, should suffer the punishment of sin for the guilty, it is again as unjust, that our sins, already expiated in Him for us, should again be punished in us by the judgment of condemnation. And upon a different account, how just it was, that the sin of one, who sustained the person of all nature, should be propagated unto all that came of him, and should be given to public condemnation — again, it is as agreeable to justice, that the obedience of one man, who undertook the cause and person of all men, should be likewise communicated to all regenerated of him, to the imputation of righteousness.

But you plead, that it seems not to be just at all, that any man should seem just by another man’s righteousness, who is unrighteous himself. I answer to the contrary, and thus I plead; Neither was it just that Christ, being innocent, should be sunk into the condemnation of death, who was in himself free of all spots. You object to me the definite nature of justice; which because it is a virtue, giving to every man according to his desert, therefore you argue that it cannot be, but it must measure unto all men by equal right, whatsoever is due to their merits. Be it so, and why then does not this same justice distribute to Christ the Son of God according to his deserving? Why is the innocent beaten with stripes? Why is he torn unjustly with punishments? Wherefore, contrary to his deserving, contrary to right and justice, is he drawn to the judgment of death, and being innocent, is stretched forth upon the cross? What can you answer me in this case?

What say you? What have you, whereby you may defend this distributive justice? What will justice itself bring for itself, which is the most exact and perfect of all things, so often proclaimed by you, and in so many books, which it may probably make a pretense for the receiving of so great an injury? Except that it may say this only: That we, and the sins of us all, came under punishment in this one most innocent body of his, and there were, with deserved punishments, most justly recompensed by God.

Which unless it were so, justice itself had sinned against Him most unjustly.

Now the singular providence of the Most High Artist hath governed the matter so, that he did both wisely look to the glory of his own Son, and our salvation, and also to his own justice, so that there is nothing wherein his justice may be accused, neither is any thing found in us, in which the very law of justice may justly condemn us. Whence it is rightly said by the apostle, that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.

For otherwise, to what purpose did Christ die, if he died not for sins and sinners? or how did he die for sins, if the punishment of sin remains to be suffered again by us? How was he made sin and a curse for us, it’ we yet fall under the curse? Or what fruit will redound to us from this most holy sacrifice, if Christ, by the right of redemption, hath not taken away that which is due to our sins by the law of justice? But if he took it away, where is then the condemnation due to sinners? I speak of those sinners, who being turned from their sins by serious repentance, fly to Christ by faith.

But methinks I do already hear what your divinity in this case will mutter against us: you will not deny that Christ died for us, and that our righteousness is placed in him. “But yet so, that these benefits of his, and rewards of justice, come not to us by faith, nor by imputation, but by the study of works and holiness, which being given to the merits of Christ, we receive in this life by the free gift of God. Therefore, that we who were of old shut up in darkness, and even extinct by the strength of death, now we do escape the tyranny of death, that we do now recover the gifts of divine righteousness formerly lost and slipt out of our hands, and that we obtain the reward of life proposed to virtue — all that consists in this, that we should wholly abdicate and forsake whatsoever we have from our first father, and transfer ourselves wholly to the similitude and imitation of our second Father, and so it will come to pass that we shall purchase immortal and divine riches, and eternal glory and true righteousness, with everlasting praise, not by our merits, but only by the virtue of Christ, who works all these things in us.” F92 Therefore, according to this sort of divinity, the merits of Christ do nothing else in heaven, but that they obtain unto us divine grace, whereby we may, by way of imitation, more easily resemble the most holy footsteps, and similitude of Christ our second Father, and lead our lives well in this world, according to his laws. But what if we cannot exactly follow the footsteps of his holiness? What if imitation falter sometimes and stagger? What if the fervency of charity, and the care of our most holy religion, and the observance of justice become too remiss? Yea, what if somewhere a defilement of sin creeps in, as infirmity may occasion? Or, what if, that I may use the words of Jerome, he that rows a boat against the stream, slaken his hands a little, doth he not presently slide back, and is carried by the stream whither he would not? and who is not remiss sometimes? — seeing Paul also confesses that he is sometimes drawn thither whither he would not. And then, where is the righteousness which was hoped for by works? where is the immortality proposed to virtue? Verily, unless the greater mercy of our most gracious Father, had so taken care for us, that our whole salvation should be laid up in the righteousness of his Son, and if faith and imputation did not help us more than imitation of life, our condition had stood on a miserable and broken foundation.

But eternal thanks be to Almighty God, the Father of all mercies, who, according to his unspeakable wisdom, which reaches from end to end strongly, and which disposes all things sweetly, hath not settled our estate by any law of works, but by faith; that according to grace the promise may be sure to all the seed, that though we ourselves are weak, and void of all righteousness, yet it is sufficient, that there is one in our nature who hath fulfilled all righteousness, and that he only is righteous for all. How, say you, for all? Why not, as well as the unrighteousness of one Adam of old was sufficient to bring ruin upon all? Therefore, let us behold Christ in Adam, and compare the one with the other. Who, though they are very unlike to one another, yet agree in this, that both being first fathers of propagation, by an equal similitude, something came from both as progenitors, which hath spread abroad upon all men; namely, death and life; sin and justice. Therefore, one man destroyed all men; and in like manner one man saves all men; neither do you yourself deny this. But let us see how the one destroys, and how the other saves those that are destroyed; “Through his fault,” say you, “not our own, we contracted the pollution of sin in our birth,” F93 these are your very words. Which, as I entertain willingly, so if they are true, and if he in this respect was a type of Christ, which is showed out of Paul, what hinders but that we also, in like manner, in regeneration may obtain the reward of righteousness, not for our own obedience, but for his? The one sinned, and by his wickedness ruined all men; the other obeyed, and by his righteousness saves all. You say, It is true, if so be we lead our life well according to the imitation and example of him. And where then is the agreement of similitude between Christ and Adam, if the one destroyed us in our being born, as you yourself confess, but Christ cannot save us in our regeneration, except imitation be joined? And where now is the grace of imputation, and the imputation of faith unto righteousness, so oft repeated in the scriptures, taught by the apostles, testified by the most ancient fathers, received and delivered by the church? Shall it be sufficient cause to inflict death upon thy body, that thou wast propagated from Adam, and shall it not have cause enough for the justification of thy soul, that thou art born again in Christ? What say you?

Do none die, but they that sin after the example of Adam? Are none saved but those that by a due imitation attain unto the most holy virtues of Christ? 23. THE OBJECTION OF OSORIO IS ANSWERED, WHERE THE IMITATION OF CHRIST IS DISCOURSED OF AT LARGE.

What is more solid for advice, or more seasonable for the time, than that which you so much enlarge upon; that every man, according to his power, should propose unto himself Christ the chief example of all virtue, and master of life, for imitation and resemblance; that having rooted out the filth and relics of the old nature, he may drive away very far from him all taints of impurity, with a resolved and magnanimous spirit: and, as you say, “because, we cannot be in the middle between the two, therefore it remains, that having forsaken the party of the body, we should so fight under the banner of Christ our prince, we should so subdue the body itself, by the power of his saving cross; all rebellion of the body should so be overcome in us, that this unbridled lust, which maintains everlasting enmity against God, may at length yield to his command; and that we may not lessen any endeavor or labor, howsoever great, in this most holy observance of justice, and imitation of Christ.”

Would that your rhetoric, thus holy and eloquent, might make a suitable harmony concerning the imitation of Christ, in the ears of the Roman bishops and cardinals; that, seriously rejecting the luxury and superfluity of this life, their vain glory, their needless vanities and trifles, they may at length cease to be conformed to the wicked fashions of this world: and that laying aside all haughtiness and pride of life, they may submit themselves to the humility of Christ; and laying down popish cruelty and tyranny, learn to become meek, of Christ, that most perfect pattern of meekness. Learn, saith he, of me, because I am meek and lowly of spirit. I do not require that those Roman priests should wash the feet of the poor according to the example of Christ, but that they should not embrue their cruel hands in the blood of their brethren. Neither do I require that they should give water to refresh the disciples of Christ, but that they should not heap up flames and fagots to burn their bodies, nor lay snares for them, nor devise to intrap them privily, design their ruin and destruction, furnish darts and weapons to slay them for whom Christ was sacrificed, and by whom they themselves were never hurt.

If example should be taken from Christ, what doth the divine Father and Creator commend more unto us? what else doth his whole life breathe but mutual charity, both towards friends, and also towards enemies? Who, not only doth not break the shaken and bruised reed, but upon the cross prays for his very crucifiers.

Therefore we have an example singularly excellent, which we may imitate.

We have also together with an example, a commendation by the mouth of the apostle, by whom charity is called the bond of perfection. Moreover, there is not wanting the preaching of divines, who in their books, in their exercises, in their sermons, do attribute so much to charity, that they call it the form, the perfection, and the very life of faith, without which there is no other virtue, that can be helpful to salvation. There is no need here, in many words, to declare what little agreement there is between the doctrine of those great extollers of charity, and the practice of their lives; seeing there are so many proofs before our eyes, so many ten thousands of men slain do witness it, and so great abundance of christian blood shed; there is so great outrage of persecution everywhere; there is nothing safe from slaughter, fury, tumult, snares, contentions, dangers, articles of inquisition, bonds, and imprisonments. And the fathers of the Roman court exercise cruelty. First, they make laws written with blood, which afterwards they commit to political monarchs to be promulgated, and to the other officers to be executed by law. On the sudden, citizens of good repute, and learned ministers, are violently haled to examinations, and afterwards to death; if any man dare but open his mouth against the manifest abuses of errors, they spare neither age, nor sex, nor condition. Thus, forsooth, those perfect Roman catholic nobles imitate the charity of Christ! so they follow his divine life, so they resemble his death, so they show forth his meekness, so they bear the image of the divine Father, so they wholly, and more than wholly, form and fashion themselves from the imitation of the earthly father, to the example of the heavenly!

Your godly and eloquent exhortations about putting on and imitating Christ, I am so far from slighting, that I desire they may remain most firmly fixed in the minds of men; for as nothing appears in the most holy manners of Christ, which is not very worthy of imitation, so no part of duty seems more agreeable to every christian, than that all of us should endeavor, with all our might, to resemble the image proposed unto us; especially seeing Paul so gravely, and that in more places than one, calls us hereunto, who, making a comparison of both fathers, Adam, and Christ, declares what we received of both. By man, saith he, came death, and by man came the resurrection from the dead, 1 Corinthians 15. And presently after, proceeding on that matter, The first man was of the earth earthly, the second Man is the Lord from heaven. And afterwards, concluding with words to the same purpose, and exhorting us to imitate the example of his obedience, he subjoins, As we have borne, saith he, the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of the heavenly. And the apostle Peter, not differing much from Paul, proposes Christ for an example of all long suffering; For, saith he, Christ also suffered for us, giving us an example, that ye should follow his footsteps, who did no sin, who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered he threatened not, but committed all judgment to his Father, etc.

Therefore, that you contend so earnestly with the blessed apostles for following the footsteps of Christ, herein we do very willingly both hear you, and assent unto you. But, that you place all the dignity of our salvation in this; that you refer all the promises of God to this one head, as it there were no cause of salvation, but that which is placed only in precepts and instructions of life, herein your discourse seems to pass far beyond the bounds of sound ant] apostolic doctrine.

For though it is a thing of very great concernment, that; we should frame all the endeavors and offices of life to the imitation of him, yet salvation is not therefore promised, because our actions agree to this rule of righteousness; neither is the title of righteousness given us because we live virtuously, but because he was made righteousness for us: for we do not become just before God by imitation, but by regeneration. As of old, not through our fault but Adam’s; not by imitation, but by birth and propagation, the pollution of his sin was imputed to us unto condemnation; so by virtue of the second Adam, not by any power of our own, by being born again, not by imitating, is righteousness imputed to us under the justification of life. Neither doth it therefore follow, that the examples of Christ are not proposed to us for imitation.

It is one thing to reason from causes to effects, another thing to reason from effects to causes. What if the cause is inquired into that makes us righteous before God? Paul will answer, that Christ is the external cause, who was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God through him; but the internal is our faith in Christ; which is imputed to them that believe, for righteousness.

But if you ask what are the effects of this cause, who knows not that they are the fruits of pious works, and this very imitation of Christ, which you so greatly, yea, and so deservedly, cry up and extol? For who can rightly call himself a christian, as you say very well, who doth not apply his mind as much as he can, to separate himself from all society of the earthly father, and frame and conform himself wholly to the example of the heavenly?

This may be granted to be very true, as indeed it is. For, I do not disallow of that which you do rightly assume, but confute that which you would falsely gather from hence. For thus you conclude, “That the whole magazine of our salvation is placed in this, that by our pious labor and industry, we should purchase the kingdom of God for ourselves. That they who affirm faith only is sufficient for salvation, are mad, and singularly serviceable to the old serpent; and that every action we undertake, is wholly unprofitable, if faith only is sufficient.” F94 What do you else, but by an unskillful huddle of things, and without order in disputing, turn causes into effects, and again effects into causes?

Chrysostom saith, “As soon as a man believes, he is presently also justified.” Which if it be true, then that is false which you assert. For you affirm, “that the obtaining of salvation consists wholly in this, that we should transform ourselves entirely into the similitude of Christ.” And again you say, “There is no other way of salvation established for us, but that which is contained in the law of God.” And the same you affirmed elsewhere, having openly asserted, “That ascent into heaven is given to the merits of the greatest virtues, and that the mansions of the eternal kingdom are given justly and deservedly to holy and pure men. For so,” say you, “it comes to pass that the immortal kingdom is due by the best right to just men; not only as a recompense and reward, but also as a lawful inheritance, being founded upon the wisdom and bounty of the Father.” F95 All which things seem at a distance to have some show of truth, if they are referred to the state of our first innocency. But now, in this wounded and destroyed nature, they have no place at all, but that they may wholly preclude us from all passages into the eternal mansions of the kingdom.

The everlasting reward of righteousness indeed is due by best right to pure and holy men, as you say, and those that observe the law unblameably. But likewise the eternal punishments of hell are due to those that do not perform the royal law according to the scriptures, James 2. What would you do in this case? What good can your philosophy do here? It is true that the Lord said to the rich pharisee, If you will enter into life, keep the commands, Matthew 19. But do you then perform what he was commanded to do? Do you sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and follow Christ naked? But if you do it not, what else can you look for, but to perish together with him? But now the goodness of God hath found out another way to consult our infirmity, who hath not only put upon us the beauty of righteousness, but whole Christ, so that you may not only, being naked, follow Christ, but that whole Christ may live in yourself, and clothe you, and also may make you a son of God by faith.

What then! may some man say; Is not the Holy Spirit given to them that trust in Christ, to illuminate their minds with new light, to renew their hearts, to enrich them plentifully with the riches, gifts, and endowments of good works, and to adorn them exceedingly with all kind of virtues? What! do these good works nothing with God, which are performed by the influence of the most Holy Spirit? Do they contribute nothing towards righteousness? Have they no use or place upon the account of reward? For this seems to be the foundation of all your arguing.

Are then all the promises of God referred to this — That there is no hope of righteousness, no way of salvation, no reconciliation for us, nor remission of sins, unless the law be kept? Where then is that peace with God, which the apostle preaches; Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ? Where is that access to the throne with boldness? Where is the hope of glory, happiness, the blessing, the inheritance of eternal life, according to promise; if these good things come no otherways, as you suppose, but by a covenant of life, which no spot of sin defiles? What! hath your profession of God received this gospel from the teachings of the apostles, or from the opinion of Plato? It is therefore of faith, saith Paul, that the promise may be firm according to grace. But what way is it firm, if it is of works upon any account? Or how is it of faith, if you confine all the promises of God to the law of righteousness, which may confirm the minds of all men, with a sure hope of righteousness, as you say? Or what will that assurance of righteousness be, if you, detaining us in a doubtful wavering of hope, take away all encouragement of good hope? 24. CONCERNING THE PROMISES OF GOD, WHAT, TO WHOM, AND HOW GOD HATH PROMISED.

It remains that we should hear what that is, which God hath promised — to whom he hath promised — how, and for what cause he doth it. Now there are both many and great gifts of God, and ornaments; partly bestowed upon us, and partly promised through the singular bounty of his grace; yea, seeing there is nothing in this workmanship of nature, nor in the meanest things, but what we ought to acknowledge to be his free gift, if we would be thankful.

And also, amongst all these things, which being so many and so great, he hath conferred upon us with so liberal a hand, I esteem that nothing is more glorious nor more admirable, than this large honor of his kingdom, which the Lord himself promises us in the gospel. Fear not, saith he, little flock, for it is the good will of your Father to give you the kingdom. Which Paul also makes mention of, writing both elsewhere, and also to the Colossians; Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us unto the kingdom of his dear Son, etc. Of which also Daniel hath given an ample testimony; The kingdom, saith he, and the dominion, and the largeness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, etc.

In which one benefit, seeing the whole sum of our felicity is comprehended; namely, reconciliation with God, imputation of righteousness, remission of sins, peace with God, access with boldness, hope, the glory of God, eternal blessedness and salvation, the inheritance of eternal life, freedom from the accusation and condemnation of the law, Romans 4:5, Titus 3, Romans 8, — what can any man, either by desires wish for, or by faith conceive, more glorious? For he that is promoted unto the possession of a kingdom, what more can be added to him, unto the highest splendor of glory, and the degree of the most honorable dignity?

Therefore we have the hereditary mansions of the eternal kingdom promised to us, and that not of works, but of faith; not according to bargain, but according to grace; and therefore according to grace, that the promise may be firm and sure to all the seed.

It is a very weighty cause, and authority not to be contemned. For what is more firm for all manner of security, than that which relies on the certain faithfulness of God, and a free promise? On the contrary, what is more unstable than that which depends on the most uncertain condition of our works, which are either for the most part evil, or always uncertain? Why then wilt thou cast us again out of the most firm safeguard of most sure confidence proposed to us, which rests most safely in the free bounty of God’s promises, as if thou drovest us out of a haven of tranquillity procured for us, to be tossed in the tempestuous waters and straits of diffidence and desperation? And do you make those things doubtful and uncertain, which through the bounty of God, we do as it were hold in our hands with a most assured faith, so that now there is not any thing certain, which a man may satisfy his own soul about touching salvation? for what can be certain, if so be the grace of the promise being taken away, if imputation of righteousness being neglected, which is placed in Christ for us, the whole matter is brought to the account of our actions? and you plead that we are not otherwise righteous before God, than by performing the offices of the divine law?

By the many things, which have been mentioned by you concerning the law and its office, it appears you have two opinions, both of which are false.

First, That you affirm, that we, being supported by the grace of God, and guarded by his help, can very easily perform all things, whatsoever are commanded by the law of God. Secondly, Because you plead, that all the nature of our righteousness and salvation consists in performing God’s commands; and that there is no other way to heaven but that which is contained in the law of God. Both which reasons, how absurd they are, how contrary to the grace of God and the gospel, and how much disallowed and confuted, not only by all authority of divine scripture, but also long since contradicted by the sayings of the most ancient fathers, and how void of all support of reason and experience, there is no man that hath so little reason or religion, but evidently perceives it, and clearly takes notice of it. We do not deny that by the help of the grace of the divine Spirit there are wonderful, various, and manifold effects produced, and great gifts are shed abroad in the minds of the regenerate, for governing all parts of life piously and holily; but whence, I pray you, will you teach that such great strength, and such great power to observe righteousness is given by God, and committed unto mortal man, which may be sufficient for performing all things that are prescribed in the most holy law of God? 25. CONCERNING THE PERFECTION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND COMPLETE OBEDIENCE OF THE LAW.

You press again and again out of the prophet; I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, Jeremiah 31. And also out of the other prophet; And I will give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my precepts, and keep my judgments, and also may do these things which are just, etc. Ezekiel 12.

I hear the oracles of the prophetical promise, uttered with great evidence, from whence certainly works of new obedience do proceed, which necessarily follow faith; so that if any man inquires for the cause of good works, he learns that it should not be attributed to the strength of man’s will, but the gift of the Holy Spirit. But whence does this gift proceed, but from the merits of Christ? or to whom is it given, but to them that believe in Christ? For the Holy Spirit is received by faith, according to that of Paul; That we may receive the promise of the Spirit by faith. Wherefore, seeing faith is the only thing which procures unto us the Holy Spirit, therefore it cannot be otherwise, but that having received the divine Spirit of sanctification, a new life, and spiritual motions do follow in the hearts of the regenerate. For a mind rightly qualified with the faith of Christ, and being now reconciled to God, as it cannot be destitute of the favor of God, so being stirred up by his holy breathings, begins now to be a law to itself, whereby it fears God, and according to its power honors him with due reverence, cleaves unto him with all its might, refers its actions and counsels to him, calls on him by prayers, adheres to him in adversity, celebrates his benefits with a thankful remembrance, lays its hope and confidence, and its whole self upon him, and also for his sake loves and cherishes all the brethren.

And as there is no man that denies these offices of necessary obedience, performed by the help of the Spirit of God, are fruits of a well-instructed faith, so there is no controversy between us and you in that matter.

But the greatest difference that is between us consists in this; that whereas we assert, that the obedience of man, born again by the divine power, is but begun and imperfect in this mortal infirm state; you, on the contrary, dream of some inconceivable perfection of obedience in works, the Spirit of God so working in us, that whosoever is qualified therewith needs nothing that belongs to complete perfection of righteousness.

But though God hath promised to his saints, that the assisting grace of his Spirit shall not be wanting; which may help forward pious attempts in his elect, and stir up their endeavors after more holy obedience; where hath he at any time promised, or on whom hath he bestowed, that happiness in walking, which turns no where to the right hand nor to the left? which stumbles not through the whole life? which in all kind of virtues, by a constant perseverance, so conforms the course of life to complete innocence, that it never fails in any thing? The adversaries for the defense of their own cause, catch at the words cited out of Jeremiah, chapter 32, and Ezekiel, chapter <263601> 36. I will cause you to walk in my precepts, and keep my judgments, etc. And then out of Deuteronomy, <053001> chapter 30.

I will circumcise, saith the Lord, the fore-skin of your heart, that ye may love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul. In these words there is indeed a glorious promise contained of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the restoring of new obedience; but because there is a twofold perfection, and a twofold righteousness, according to Jerome, one which is suited to the virtues of God, another which is agreeable to our frailty — and again, seeing, according to the authority of Augustine, there is a twofold kind of obedience; one that is seen in this life, being but begun and imperfect, another that is perfect, which is completed in the life to come, it is not difficult to discern in what sense the perfection of renovation should be understood in the scriptures. That is, not simply and absolutely, but according to the measure and capacity of this life.

Augustine, writing to Boniface, saith, “The virtue which is now in a righteous man, is called perfect, upon this account, because it belongs to his perfection, both to acknowledge in truth, and confess in humility his own imperfection.” Moreover, Jerome, not much differing from him, answered wisely, when that place of St. Paul was objected to him, Whosoever of us are perfect, we understand this; F96 to this Jerome says, “What then do we understand, yea, what ought we to understand? that we who are perfect, should acknowledge ourselves to be imperfect, and that we have not yet comprehended, nor yet attained unto perfection. This is,” saith he, “the wisdom of man, to know himself to be imperfect; and that I may so speak, the perfection of all righteous men in the flesh, is imperfect, etc.” And afterwards again in the same book, “Therefore, we are righteous then, when we confess ourselves to be sinners. For our righteousness consists not of our own merit, but of the mercy of God, as the scripture says, The righteous man is an accuser of himself in the beginning of his speech.” And again to Ctesiphon, “This is men’s only perfection,” saith he, “if they know themselves to be imperfect,” etc.

Moreover, the adversaries set upon us with another argument, which they produce out of the words of Deuteronomy 30. “That the regenerate, by the help of the Spirit of God, can fulfill all righteousness by the works of the law.”

This reasoning, as it differs not much from the former, so there is implied in it a certain kind of fallacy not unlike it. For there lurks under the words of scripture, not being rightly understood, a fallacy or venom wholly Pelagian.

But Augustine will ingeniously confute this fallacy for us, in his book; the title whereof is, Concerning the perfection of righteousness. Where he speaks after this manner, That the state of this controversy about the perfection of love, is exercised about two questions, By whom? And when?

First, as if the question be, By whom a man may attain unto such perfection, that he may be without sin? He answers, “That comes not to pass by the strength of free will, but by the grace of God.” And so far there is no debate between us, and the opposite party. But if there be inquiry made about the time when such a perfection is attained, Augustine speaks expressly, that this comes not to pass in this life, but in that which is to come. And no less appositely, in another book he dispels the mists of this argument with very evident words. “This precept of righteousness,” saith he, “concerning loving the Lord with all the heart, and with all the soul; and also, that of loving our neighbor, we shall fulfill in that life, where we shall see face to face.” But here some will object, Wherefore is it commanded, if it is not fulfilled here? Augustine answers, “That we may be instructed what we ought to ask by faith, and whither to send hope before; and unto what things that are before us we should press forward, not being satisfied with any thing that is behind. According to my opinion, that man hath made a great progress in this life, in that righteousness which is to be perfected, who by profiting knows how far he is from the perfection of righteousness,” etc.

Writing to Boniface, he thus reasons about divine grace, “The grace of God gives, in this life, an endeavor to keep the commands, (and here you have the obedience begun, as we call it,) and the same, if any thing is not fully observed in the precepts, pardons,” etc.

And so all commands of God are reckoned as performed, because whatsoever is not performed is pardoned. By which you may see, that our righteousness in this life is of such a sort, that it consists rather of the remission of sins, than the perfection of virtues, which perfection must be looked for by us in the life to come.

Moreover there is another thing, that must not be passed by in this place, that the same Augustine, writing to Jerome, saith, “Charity is a virtue, whereby that which should be beloved, is beloved. This in some is greater, in others lesser, in others none at all. But the fullest, that cannot be increased as long as man lives here, is in no man. But as long as it can be increased, verily that which is less than it ought to be, is faulty; by reason of which default, there is not a just man upon the earth, that doth good, and sinneth not. Because of which default no man living shall be justified in the sight of God. By reason of which viciousness, if we say that we have not sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, because of which, how much soever we have profited, it is necessary for us to say, Forgive us our debts.”

The books of the ancient orthodox divines are full of very authentic testimonies confirming this opinion. It is an excellent and grave saying of Cyprian, speaking of the regenerate, “Let no man flatter himself upon the account of a pure and unspotted heart; that, trusting to his own innocency, he should suppose that his wounds need no medicine; seeing it is written, Who shall glory that he hath a chaste heart? or who shall glory that he is clean from sins? But if no man can be without sins, whosoever shall call himself unblameable, is either a proud man, or a fool,” etc. “There is not so great harmony found in any one man,” saith Ambrose, “that the law which is in the members doth not oppose the law of the mind.

Therefore, that which the apostle John said, is true of all saints in the general, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” I may also add that of Bernard, which is very agreeable to this matter. He saith, “Who dare arrogate to himself that. which Paul himself confesses he had not attained unto? Indeed he that gave the command was not ignorant that the weight thereof exeeded the strength of men; but he judged it useful, that by this very thing they should be convinced of their own insufficiency, and that they should know what end of righteousness they should endeavor with all their might to attain unto. Therefore, by commanding things impossible, he did not make men transgressors, but humble, that every mouth might be stopped, and all the world might lie under the judgment of God.”

I can bring innumerable testimonies of the like sort, out of well approved authors. But why take up time in rehearsing the names of men, or in reckoning their approbations? when, to speak it all in one word, all the antiquity of former ages, the public consent of the former church, and the choicest writers out of all eldest time, as many as ever rejected the ancient Pelagianism; all these with one mouth agree in this matter against you, that there is no integrity of righteousness in this life, which is not imperfect, which needs not forgiveness: that there is not so great an innocency here, which is without any wound, which needs no medicine; and that no one of all the saints has so lived, that a great deal was not wanting to him to complete righteousness, and who needed not daily to pray for the pardon of his iniquity. As Augustine testifies, “Because,” saith he, “there is daily offending, therefore there must be also daily remission.” Which things, being confirmed by most evident testimonies of very learned witnesses, where then is that salvation, which, according to your description, “is placed in righteousness, holiness, religion, and the excellent merits of all virtues?” Where is that righteousness of works which reconciles us to God, and makes us like God? Where is that way, which is paved to heaven for us with the excellent merits of works? Where is that ascent into the heavenly kingdom, which is opened by the merits of the greatest virtues? Where are the mansions of the everlasting kingdom, which you assert are justly and deservedly given to holy and pure men? Where also is that immortal kingdom, which you conclude is due by best right, not only as a recompense and reward, but also as a legal patrimony, founded by the wisdom and bounty of the Father? F97 What if according to your discipline, there is no other way laid open to salvation, but by keeping the commandments; and if according to the judgment of Bernard, the law is of such a weight, that it wholly exceeds human strength, which was just now showed, what hope of salvation does there now remain for us? “Verily,” say you, “if any man consider his own strength, in so great a frailty of human strength, it will be most difficult to attain to a divine state of righteousness; but if you consider in your own mind the divine riches, which, if you will, will always be present with you, nothing is more easy.”

F98 Must we be saved in keeping God’s commands? and think you this so easy to be performed? “Why not,” say you, “when the Spirit of God helps?” How little does this saying differ from that of the Pelagians, which Augustine rehearses, for thus they said, “By an easy endeavor after holiness, which God helps, a man may be without sins.” But let us hear Augustine, answering against Julian. He saith, “We deny not, that the help of God is so powerful, if he will, that at this day we might have no evil concupiscences against which we should fight, though with the greatest certainty of conquest. And yet you yourself deny not, that it doth not so come to pass, but why it comes not to pass, who hath known the mind of the Lord? Yet I know not a little, when I know, whatsoever that cause is, that it is not the iniquity of a just God, nor the insufficiency of an almighty God. Therefore, there is something in his deep and hidden counsel, why, as long as we live in this mortal flesh, there is something in us, against which our mind should fight. There is also something why we should say, Forgive us our sins.” And a little after, “That man understands these things, who being hunger-bitten, returns to himself, and says, I will arise and go to my Father. Therefore it comes to pass in this place of infirmity, that we should not live proudly, and that we should live under the daily remission of sins.

But whether that be the cause, or another, which I am more ignorant of, yet that which I cannot doubt, is, how much soever we get forward under this burden of a corruptible body, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.” This he said, but why should I urge you with human authority, seeing the matter itself carries against you with a very strong voice, and the whole scripture gives this honor only to Christ, and the universal experience and example of men, and the practice of life, besides the domestic witnesses of your conscience, do publish a manifest testimony against you?

You say, “We presently obtain the help of God, whereby we may most easily perform all things that are commanded us.” F99 Is it so? “all things?” what then if I ask of that first command of love, which you owe to the Lord your God with all your heart, and all the endeavor of your mind? or of that, whereby you are commanded not to covet at all? Do you perform it? I know what distinction the talkative schools of the sophisters use here, “according to the substance of the act, and according to the intention of the lawgiver.” But I do not value these fables of subtleties. We know this by the writings of Paul, that the law is spiritual, we are carnal and sold under sin; I ask, If thou thyself, being compassed about now with this frailty of the flesh, dost fulfill this spiritual law of God, with that sincerity of spirit which thou oughtest? “What I myself do by my own strength,” say you, “I do not dispute here, yet I can by the help of the grace of God.” After all your debate it comes to this, that you plead the commands of God are easy, and you would have nothing appointed by him, which cannot be observed by us. Now, after a most heavy dream, (according to the words of Jerome,) to deceive ignorant souls, you in vain endeavor to add, “not without grace.” But the question is not what the almighty grace of God can do of itself, but what it does in any mortal man? You make the precepts of righteousness easy, which when the divine grace assists, do not exceed our best endeavor; and yet cannot produce one man that hath fulfilled them all.

Now what an argument is it that a thing can be which hath not been? that a thing can be done, which you bear witness none hath done? and to attribute that to some unknown person, which you cannot prove to have been in the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles? Paul the apostle, himself complains of the refractory rebellion of his members, who was not able to do the good which he desired, crying out that he was both carnal, and miserable, and captive.

This should be attributed to Him only, concerning whom it is written as peculiar to Him; Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, If you would have this common to you with Christ, that you can be without sin, what do you leave him, that is peculiar to himself? But if not, what remains then, but that those high mountains of righteousness with which you are so puffed up, should not only fall, but also vanish.

You proceed yet, seeking as it were a knot in a rush, which yet is broke through with no difficult wedge. You ask, “To what purpose the law was prescribed by God with so great care, or for what end did he require the law should always remain in the minds of them, whom he instructed in the law, if none of those things which he established by law was to be in the power of men?” F100 Though God willed that his laws should be performed most exactly by all, yet there are other, both many and weighty causes, why the law, which is a rule of perfect righteousness, though it could not be kept by us in respect of perfect obedience, yet it was necessary that it should be promulgated — either that there might be a public testimony of the judgment and anger of God against sin, or that we ourselves might be brought more easily to the knowledge of our sins and frailty. Concerning which Paul said, When the law came sin revived. Or, that taking notice of the frailty of corrupted and ruined nature, being more strongly driven by this necessity, we might be pressed forward, as by the ferula of a pedagogue, to Christ, who is the end of the law, as also the law is called a pedagogue to Christ: or that we may be taught, as it were by this same pedagogy, whither we must go: that if we cannot attain unto a full obedience of the law, yet we may profit in the inchoation of obedience, as much as we can.

Wherefore, seeing there are so many and such great causes of making a law, it appears evident enough from hence, that there is no cause why the law should seem to be imposed upon us by God in vain. And yet it doth not therefore follow that because the law of God, after the fall, is impossible to human nature, as to the complete obedience thereof, that therefore it is unprofitable, seeing the same hath other advantages so remarkable.

But let us proceed to the other reasons in your argument. You say, “What is more contrary to justice and equity, than that one should be punished upon that account, because he hath not performed those things which he could by no means so much as begin?” F101 You proceed also to represent the matter as it were before the eyes of a man, by the framing of similitudes.

Here is a fallacy. This want of strength and impotency would have a just excuse, if nature had been properly and simply so created. But when this weakness was not at first created with nature itself, but crept in some other way, against nature, by sin, we must therefore see, not only what this corrupted nature now can do, or cannot do, but also what it ought simply to do. Punishment is not unjustly inflicted for those things, which there is no cause but they might have been observed, either in regard of the lawgiver himself, or in the nature of the things themselves, but only by reason of the impotency of the subjects themselves, an impotency contracted through their own default.

As Augustine signifies,” Yea, therefore, it is man’s fault, because it came to pass by the will of man only; that he is come to that necessity, which the will of man only cannot shake off.” What cruelty should it be reckoned if a Lord require just punishment to be inflicted on a servant that is corrupt and flagitious? Yea, behold rather singular clemency in the Lord, who is so far from inflicting upon the servant the punishment which he deserved, that he receives him into favor without any merit; yea, moreover exposes his dearly beloved Son to undergo punishment for the servant.

What other thing do Luther and Calvin, but proclaim according to the gospel, the free pardoning grace of God to all that by faith embrace Christ, who was slain for us? They are so far from being guilty of this calumny, which you most unjustly cast upon them, that you can no where find any, who with greater earnestness do declare the infinite riches of divine grace to mortal men. 26. HOW CHRIST TAKES AWAY SINS.

I confess that the riches of divine grace are infinite, and that the gifts are excellent, which God bestows upon his own; yet the grace of God doth not so perfect any man in this life, but that oft in small things we offend all, James 2, and pray daily, that our debts may be forgiven us. Yea, what is all the discourse of the saints to God but a continual praying and deprecating, as Jerome witnesses, whereby it extorts the clemency of the Creator, that we, who cannot be saved by our own strength, may be saved by his mercy. Concerning which, Psalm 32. For this shall every saint pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found. Whence Jerome infers, and not without reason, “If he is a saint how doth he pray for the pardon of sin? If he hath iniquity, upon what account he called holy? namely, after that manner whereby it is elsewhere said, A just man falleth seven times a day, and riseth up again. And again, A just man is an accuser of himself in the beginning of his speech. Therefore the grace of God helps our infirmities, that they may be diminished. But we deny that he so helps them, that they are wholly taken away. It helps indeed infirmities, as hath been said, but yet it leaves us infirm, that it may always help us No man is ignorant how great power of Christ appeared in the holy apostles, which yet did not fully complete their strength, but it was rather perfected by their infirmity. We know, saith Paul, in part, and we prophesy in part: but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

We now see darkly through a glass, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know as I am known.

Therefore, that I may answer in a word, if you suppose there is that help of divine grace, which makes obedience in this life to be wholly unblamable and perfect; Augustine will presently deny that, who, discoursing of the first precept of righteousness, whereby we are commanded to love God, with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves: “We shall fulfill that,” saith he, “in that life, where we shall see face to face.” He farther says, “And therefore that man hath profited much in this life, in that righteousness, which is to be perfected, who by profiting knows how far he is from the perfection of righteousness.”

Moreover, that which is argued from the power of divine grace, is not sufficient to exclude the necessity of sin. They say, indeed, that by the perfect grace of God it is possible that a man may not sin at all in this life.

Be it so; yet all things are not made which can be made by the singular power of God. So, by the power of God helping us we could fly, yet we do not fly: for God willeth not all things, which his power is able to do. But you say,” He willeth and commandeth with great authority, that we should observe his precepts, which he would not command unless he knew them to be possible.” It is true, indeed, if they are understood according to that nature, which he first created in us; so that in him there is no cause but that the precepts, as they should be judged right, so also they should be judged possible. But hearken to Jerome aptly untying this knot. “God hath commanded things possible,” saith he,” this no man doubts of. But because men did not possible things, therefore all the world is become subject to God, and needs his mercy.”

There is not any thing so difficult in human things but infinite Omnipotency can do it by a word of his power; to whom it would not be difficult to restore this frailty of fallen nature to its ancient state of innocency, if he would. And there is no doubt but God would do it, if he had decreed to do as much by his secret counsel, as he could do by his infinite majesty. Now, therefore, either prove that all infirmity of the flesh is taken away in the regenerate, and that they are restored to their former innocency, which is without all sin, and also freed from a necessity of dying, or cease to dream of that perfection of righteousness in this life which hitherto hath not been found in any of the saints, whether apostles, or patriarchs, or prophets.

Where hath God so engaged his faithfulness that the remainders of all sin being cut off, and all infirmity of sinning being taken away, he would so heal mankind, having so thoroughly purged them from all sin, that evil concupiscence being subdued, and all matter of the ancient contagion being blotted out, no relics of sin should remain in this life, but that it may be most easy to obey the commands of God, and so obtain salvation?

Many testimonies are brought, as that with Christ God hath promised that he will give us all things, etc. (Also <19A351> Psalm 103:51, Isaiah 61, Jeremiah 1, Ezekiel 36, Micah 7, John 1.) But what do they all aim at, but that we may understand, that by Christ all the pollutions of our sinful nature are done away?

There is one answer, and a well fitted one, out of Augustine. “Distinguish the times,” saith he, “and you will reconcile scriptures.” Our sins are done away by Christ; no man doubts of that. But we must see how they are done away. He does them away in this life, he will also do them away in the life to come; but not after one and the same manner: for iniquity is taken away, and sin receives an end, as is evident by the prophecy of Daniel. But if you ask, How in this flesh? Augustine will answer you: “None,” saith he, “takes away sin, but Christ, who is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. And he takes them away, both by removing the sins that were done, and by helping that they may not be done, and by bringing to the future life where they cannot be done at all. Therefore, in this life there is only a race to righteousness, and in the other life will be the prize. This then is our righteousness now, whereby we run, hungering and thirsting, to the perfection and fullness of that righteousness wherewith we shall afterward be satisfied in the other life. Hence the apostle saith, Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect. Brethren, I do not think that I have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting the things that are behind, and being stretched forth to those things that are before, I press forward to the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Therefore, according to Augustine, here is the race, here is the progress, there will be the perfection. Here, as running in a race, we proceed from virtue to virtue. There we are perfected. Now, we have only the seeds of virtues begun: then, in that fullness of charity, when that shall be perfected in us which now is imperfect, that precept shall be fulfilled; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. For whilst there is any carnal concupiscence, which may be restrained by continency, God is not in all respects loved with all the soul; for the flesh doth not lust without the soul, though the flesh is said to lust, because the soul lusteth carnally; therefore as long as the saints are burdened with this flesh, which they cannot shake off, verily sin, dwelling in the flesh, cannot be absent. But it is taken out of the world, after the very same manner that the death of Christ hath driven death from our necks, and yet we die. The same comes to pass in the destroying of sin; that being freed from sin by Christ, yet we are not without sin, for these two things come always together, being tied to one another by very near connection — that where sin is, there by necessary consequence death follows; wherefore, if the flesh is yet held in bonds by the cruelty of death, by the same reason it is proved, that the relics of sin remain also in the flesh. But now where then is that righteousness which Christ hath purchased for us? Where our life is, there is also our righteousness. Not in this flesh which we put off, but in that body which we shall in due time put on uncorrupted. For such are all the benefits of Christ, purchased for us, that the promise of them being showed afar off, as of old the holy land to the Hebrews, it is apprehended by faith, and the Spirit in this life, but the full possession belongs only, peculiarly, and in the whole, to the other life. 27. CHRIST BEGINS HIS BENEFITS IN THIS LIFE, AND PERFECTS THEM IN THE LIFE TO COME.

Now these great benefits of the Son of God consist chiefly in this, that sin being totally abolished, death being destroyed, he restores us, being plucked out of the kingdom of the devil, unto the possession of eternal life, in which God communicates himself wholly to us, and is wholly all in all.

And this most glorious work of his, most full of the highest dignity, he begins in this miserable life, and will complete it in the other life, when that shall come to pass which is written, Death is swallowed up in victory: O death where is thy victory? O death where is thy sting? Howbeit these things are not said upon this account, as if there were nothing in the interim, or but little in this life, which the help of the grace of Christ does for us. As of old the help of the eternal God was never wanting to the Israelites in the waste wilderness, whom he was to bring into the habitations of promise; so verily neither are Christ’s benefits towards us little; and the riches of his bounty are not small, which the present grace of Christ pours daily upon us with a full hand, when in this sinful nature he often helps our infirmities, forgives our sins, instructs us with his word, refreshes us with hope, supports us by faith, feeds and strengthens us by the sacraments, and refreshes us by his own Spirit, adorns us with his gifts, renews our hearts, and stirs them up to spiritual motions of better lift and obedience, restrains vicious affections--by whose guidance there increase in us the beginnings of eternal lift, the knowledge of God, invocation, fear, faith, true repentance, a new law, and the image of Him who created us.

And, seeing Christ works these things in us with continual care, daily more and more, promoting and bringing into maturity that which he hath begun in us; there is no cause why the graces of Christ here, should seem needless to any man.

But these beginnings of divine grace must be distinguished from that perfect and complete renovation of nature which shall be seen in the glorified after this lift. For though it should not be doubted but great advantages are communicated to believers by the divine help of the Holy Spirit, both to shun those things that are grievously offensive, and also to exercise the offices of piety; of which Paul, They, saith he, who are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God, Romans 8. Yet there is not ,given to the regenerate, in this life a complete conformity to the law of God, but it is reserved for the other life. For the life of the saints in this world should not be called a life of the flesh, but of faith rather; not a life of perfect, but of begun love and mortification; as being not so much discerned in justice as in justification; not in perfect holiness, but in sanctification; not in perfect purity, but in purification; not in perfection, but in going forward.

Else, what will become of those, who being just men, fall seven times a day, and yet rise up again? Proverbs 24. What also will become of all those, concerning whom James saith, In many things we offend all?

Moreover, what will become of those whom Christ bids to pray, Lord, forgive us our debts?

Moreover, if no man is joined to God, or received into favor, but he that is his friend, how then doth God agree to his own law, which commands not only to love friends, but to pray for enemies? When God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, what else was this world then, but an enemy to God, which yet he had so great a favor to? Yea, Paul expressly testifies, that we were reconciled to God, not when we were friends, but enemies: and therefore he says, The love of Christ is commended in this, that he died for enemies. And again, If, whilst we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God, by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Though the similitude of manners hath oftimes no small strength to procure friendship in the common use of life, yet all things that are any way unlike, are not so opposed, that they cannot consist together without combating one against another. As there are many differences in things, yet every difference cloth not untie the bond of love — as again, neither do all men, every where, cleave to one another by a firm bond of friendship, who do some way agree in endowments and disposition — verily, in the divine love, this agreement of conformity hath no place: that they should be received into favor, who come nearest to his image. For so it would come to pass, that all other creatures being excluded, almighty God would embrace only angelical virtues with his divine favor.

Though neither here, if you look to angels themselves, doth any proportion of similitude unite into one with the divine holiness. Augustine also comes to this point, who, comparing our righteousness which now is, with that which is to come, hath these words concerning its dissimilitude, “When that righteousness, according to which they live, shall be, and where no evil concupiscence shall be, let every man measure himself, what he is now and what he shall be then, and he will find in comparison of that righteousness, that all his works now are loss and dung.” And afterwards,” In the resurrection we believe we shall fulfill righteousness, that is, that we shall have full righteousness. In comparison of that, all the life we live now is dung,” etc. And what agreement of similitude can be found between this life of dung, and that highest Author, and Prince of all holiness? 28. THE ASSERTION THAT THERE CAN BE NO RECONCILIATION TO GOD, UNLESS ALL THE RELICS OF SIN BE UTTERLY CUT OFF.

It cannot be denied that justice and sin are repugnant to one another by the most contrary opposition. Likewise, we must confess that it is no less true, that all impurity of sin is hateful and abominable to God: for the anger of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who detain the truth in unrighteousness; as the apostle speaks very evidently. Which being so, what remains then, but that the life of the godly should either be fee of all sin in this world, as Osorio contends; or if that cannot be, as Luther affirms, all must be liable to the wrath of God. I answer then with the apostle Paul, That indeed would follow, unless there comes a mediator, who may interpose himself against the anger of God in the sinner’s behalf; who may satisfy for sin, who may obtain pardon, who may mollify the rigor of justice; yea, who may transpose all the judgment given against the guilty upon himself, and that now He himself may be judge of the cause, who is the forgiver of the crime. For so we hear in the gospel, My Father judgeth no man, but hath given all judgment to the Son.

And again, All things are delivered unto me by my Father.

Therefore, that we may expedite a matter not very difficult, in a few words: that sin is hateful to God, nothing is more true. But it is one thing to speak of sin, and another thing to speak of man that is a sinner. God indeed hates sin; the physician hates the disease, but yet not so, that he should destroy the diseased person, but that he should heal him. Concerning which, if you do not trust me, hear Augustine; “He is not a God that condemns some sins, and justifies and praises other sins. He praises none, but hates all sin; as a physician hates the disease, and by curing endeavors to drive away the disease. So God, by his grace, procures that sin is consumed in us. But how is it consumed? It is diminished in the life of them that are going on to perfection: it shall be consumed in the life of the perfect.” 29. THE ASSERTION OF LUTHER AGAINST OSORIO CONCERNING THE SINS OF THE SAINTS IS DEANTIED.

I come now to Luther, whom you reproach after such an unworthy manner, and with such shameful slanders, yea, and falsehoods. Why so? — Because he durst accuse the saints themselves of sin; which seems to you so execrable a wickedness, as if no greater reproach could be cast, not only on holy men themselves, but also on the Author and Prince of all holiness.

You may upon the same account east reproaches in like manner, upon Jerome, Augustine, and Bernard, and other most approved writers of the primitive times; whom you must either by necessary consequence absolve with Luther, or not condemn Luther without them; seeing there is none of all these, that thought this title of honor should be attributed to any man, but Christ only, that he should be wholly without any stain of sin. That which Luther asserts concerning the sins of the saints, if the words be suitably weighed with the state of the question, there is no offense in it. As if it be asked, whether the works of the regenerate should be called good in this life, or sins? Luther denies not that the pious deeds of the regenerate are good; but affirms that they are good in the sight of God, and pleasing to him, which comes not to pass upon the account of the work itself, but upon the account of faith and a Mediator; for whose sake the pious endeavors of his own are pleasing to God, and their begun obedience, though it is otherways of its own nature imperfect. Therefore, this is not the controversy, whether the regenerate, by the help of the grace of God, can do any thing in this life piously and commendably: neither is this the controversy, whether the absolute grace of God in the regenerate is able to perform this, that their works should be free of all Sin. But whether the grace of God in this flesh, furnishes any of the regenerate with so great a power of perfecting righteousness, that any work of theirs, is so complete and perfect, if it be examined according to the rule of the divine law, that it needs no pardon or mediator. But if it needs mercy, then it is necessarily joined with pollution and sin, so that now the praise belongs to the Mediator and not to man; to imputation, not to action; to grace, not to merit; to faith, not to works; that God accepts of the works of the regenerate and most holy men. Neither is the rectitude of our good things any thing else but the forgiveness of God, and the remission of: his just severity. Whence the apostle rightly concludes, that those who are of the works of the law, not speaking; of evil works, but the most perfect works, are under the curse; and upon this account it is true, which Luther says, that a righteous man sins in every good work. Not that the work itself, being appointed by the law of God, is a sin; but because, according to the saying of Augustine, whatsoever is less than it ought to be, is faulty. From whence it appears evident that in this life there is no work so perfect, but something is wanting; that is, there is sin in it, if it be judged according to the strict rigor of the law. 30. CONCERNING THE GRACE OF GOD.

Grace is not rightly defined that it is nothing else but virtue and justice.

That it is a virtue, Thomas Aquinas did flatly deny. And it cannot be called justice, seeing that is comprehended under the general name of virtue.

Albert saith, “Grace is a habit of life universally well ordered, not according to the degrees of things ordered, but as it is called a relation of the whole life, to the obtaining of the end. But justice doth not this, nor virtue; for justice doth not necessarily make worthy of eternal lifts, upon the account that it is justice, or virtue.” If the proper and true cause which reconciles us to the love of God, and makes us worthy of eternal life, should be searched for, we shall find, that it lies not in the works of justice, but that it proceeds from another cause.

And what that cause is, Christ himself, the best master, teacheth in the gospel. These are his words, For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came from the Father. By which you see that it comes to pass, not for the sake of our justice or virtue, but for the sake of his own dearly beloved Son, that God the Father cares for us, and loves us. “What then,” say you, “doth not justice make men that live holily and justly in this world acceptable to God? Which if it is so, it cannot be judged to be any other thing but grace. For whatsoever renders us acceptable to God, is justly esteemed to be grace. Justice makes us acceptable to God, therefore it is grace.” I deny not that justice, as it is very acceptable to God, so it renders acceptable to God, if it is perfect and agreeable to the divine perfection; which not being given to us in this life, another altar must be sought, there is need of other helps. Therefore, if we would find any favor in the sight of God, we must betake ourselves to Christ, and embrace him by faith. I am not ignorant what this disputant drives at, and what masters he follows, and on what foundation he builds. He builds upon that old and stale distinction of the schoolmen, as much used as it is light, and frivolous, and vain. They, according to their own subtilty, divide the manifold efficacy of grace, most of them into two parts, and some of them into three or more. Namely, into grace freely given, and that which makes acceptable.

And again they subdivide this latter into operative grace, which again they divide into three rivulets, preventing, beginning, delivering, and afterwards into cooperating, which likewise is threefold; following, promoting, assisting.

With what study, with what labor, what cobwebs do these praters here weave, that they may darken the wholesome doctrine of grace with the smoke and soot of their idle talk. For if we speak of that grace, unto which our whole salvation is referred, who is there but understands by the writings of the evangelists and apostles, that it is thus described? That it is the only thing which, being placed in the free indulgence of God towards miserable sinners, doth with dear love in Christ the Son of God, embrace all that believe in him, and forgive their sins, and for the sake of his own Son bestows his Spirit, and eternal life and felicity upon them, though otherwise they are unworthy. And though the operation of this grace is not one, and the effects are divers, and the gifts various, according to the diversity of donations; yet the divine grace itself is only one, which is both freely given to us for salvation, and makes those acceptable to God, whom it saves, and is one and the same cause both of salvation and renovation.

Wherefore, their distinction is justly found fault with, who by grace making men grateful or acceptable, understand habits, and gifts communicated by God; and they do most frivolously conclude, that men are made acceptable to God by these; whereas it is only mercy in Christ the Mediator, which doth not only account us dear to itself, but also chose us before we were adorned with any ornaments of gifts. Moreover, if the matter be as those men define, that not only faith in Christ, but gifts and habits of virtues, infused by God, make us acceptable to God, what then shall be said of those who, also out of Christ, have possessed many such excellent gifts as well as we? In which, many of them are not only equal to us, but some of them also excel us; such as are variety of tongues, gifts of healing, prophecy, excellent powers, sharpness of wit, strength of body, ornaments of mind. The Jews have a strong hope in God. The Turks maintain love towards one another. But shall we affirm that those men also are by these things made acceptable to God? which is absurd and unreasonable.

Therefore, that we may conclude, we confess that such girls are things which adorn this life, beautify nature, and declare the liberal bounty of God, but which nevertheless neither regenerate nor justify us in the sight of God. For that is due to Christ only by faith; neither is it convenient to attribute it to any other creatures whatsoever. According to that of St.

Paul, Being justified therefore by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the mean while I am not ignorant what they answer here; that they treat not of those works which the heathen perform by the strength of nature; nor those works, which are done by the Jews without faith, by the guidance of the law only, but those works which are of the faith of Christ. “What then,” say they, “are not such excellent performances of works pleasing to God? Is not that very pleasing and acceptable to God, whatsoever is right, whatsoever is joined with virtue and honesty, whatsoever being undertaken with faith, is rightly performed according to duty and piety?” To answer this, three things must be observed, first, What manner of works these are which are discoursed of, whether perfect or not? And then, How they please, of themselves, or upon the account of faith? Thirdly, How much they please, whether so much as to deserve eternal life and obtain the pardon of violated righteousness; and being set against the wrath of God, to turn away all vengeance, and be effectual to satisfy justice without any remission of sins? For all these must be regarded with necessary attention, because God, the great Creator of the world, is perfectly holy in his own nature, and the perfection of all goodness; it is evident that nothing is of itself acceptable to him, and well-pleasing, which being defiled with any spot of imperfection, doth not agree in all respects to the most exact purity.

But now, seeing it is most true that there is no man hath led his life so exactly, that in the whole course of his life he hath not been guilty of any gross offense,” and that there is not any state of mind so framed by divine grace, although it abounds with divine benefits, in which nothing was ever violated by perfidiousness, or offensive through error of mind, or omitted through negligence; or which doth not more consist of the remission of sins, than the perfection of virtues — what remains but that it should either be false which some boast of human perfection, or at least it behooves that something should be searched for, besides the virtues themselves, which may commend these first beginnings of our imperfections to the divine perfection, and reconcile them to his favor.

This then remains to be searched into — What it is that reconciles sinners to God, and restores them to his favor? and because this reconciliation cannot be perfected by the righteousness of our virtues; therefore we must confess that all the office of reconciling consists in the grace of God only; which the papists themselves will not deny unto us, agreeing that man is justified by grace. But what place is there for grace, if heaven is given, not by the free gift of the bestower, but to the merits of holy men, as you say?

And what will you answer Paul the apostle, who denies that grace is any more grace, if men deal with God by works? whence that may be brought with just cause which Augustine of old brought in his contending with the ancient Pelagians of his time. For thus you plead, “That heaven is justly and deservedly given to the merits of holy men.” On the contrary, Augustine being taught by apostolic authority, saith, “If it is given to any merits, it is not then given freely, but is rendered as due; and by this means, it is not by a true name called grace, where the reward, as the apostle speaks, is not imputed according to grace, but according to debt. But that it may be true grace, that is, free, it finds nothing in man to whom it should be due; otherwise, according to the mind of the apostle, grace would not be grace.” And now, with what fair colors cast on them, will those things, being contrary to one another, be made to agree? Augustine, with St. Paul affirms, that grace finds nothing in man to which it should be due; that it may be free. On the contrary, the papists contend that heaven is given as a due debt to the merits of the saints. What is more contrary? “Grace,” saith he, “doth not only help the righteous man, but also justifies the ungodly:” in which there appears a twofold effect and fruit of divine grace, both in helping the righteous, and justifying the ungodly: with the one of which you, being contented, either unworthily pass by the other, or which is more abominable, you oppose it wickedly, whilst you admit no grace of justifying, but that which seems to be joined with virtue, and the justice of merits.

Now we acknowledge this to be most certain, that there is not any thing but what should be referred to the grace of God; whence Jerome accounts it for sacrilege, it any man thinks he can abstain from sinning without grace. But here there is need to explain what the word grace signifies according to the caution of the gospel. For grace in the holy scriptures, is not only understood concerning the help of the Holy Spirit, but it comprehends both free imputation, which is by Christ (which the papists cannot endure) and the help of the Holy Spirit in performing the offices of virtues. 31. HOW THE PAPISTS AND PROTESTANTS AGREE AND DIFFER IN UNDERSTANDING THE WORD GRACE.

Now as both papists and protestants seem to attribute man’s justification to grace, herein they both agree. But they say this after their manner of speaking, and we after ours. For this is the difference between them and the protestants, that the papists, by the name of grace, understand only gifts that are conferred upon those that are justified, namely, habits, which they call infused, and excellent endowments of lovely virtues, and other things of that kind, wherewith the elect are adorned by the free gift of God.

But the protestants, being otherwise taught by the scriptures, and being confirmed by the sayings of the fathers, perceiving these very gifts of the Spirit of God, as long as they live in this flesh, are imperfect, through our default; they deny that men can be justified by these, because divine justice cannot at all be satisfied by these. And therefore it is, that they attribute justification only to the grace and mercy of God; which consists not of any remuneration of virtues, but rather imputation of righteousness, and forgiveness of sins. For we do not find fault with this in them, that they do tightly affirm, that all our good works should be referred to the grace of God; which neither the Jews themselves nor the Turks will deny. But we justly disapprove that they do not define this grace according to scripture.

For grace is defined by this sort of men, that it is nothing else but a habit infused by God, like his own goodness and love, whereby he that hath it is rendered acceptable to God; and it makes works acceptable to him, and meritorious. It is easily demonstrated, both by scriptures and reason, how faulty this definition is, because the thing defined is of a larger extent than the definition. For the grace whereby God loved Jacob, and hated Esau, before they did either good or evil, was grace; which yet was not any habit, either begotten in them by the power of nature, or infused by grace, whereby Jacob, that had it, if I may use their words, was rendered acceptable to God. After the like manner, the grace which, in the midst of his persecution of saints, changed Paul into an instrument in the hand of electing grace, was not an infused habit, but went before an infused habit, and first made him a man acceptable to Christ, before the habit making acceptable was infused. The same should be said of the thief, the publican, the leper, and many others in the history of the gospel, who were not saved by an infused habit, but only by an infused faith; for otherwise what did that word so often repeated in the gospel signify, Thy faith hath saved thee? Which word, if it be true, then either faith is righteousness, or else righteousness can by no means save us. And the same reason is to be given of the conversion of the Gentiles; whom of old the grace of God brought from impure paganism to the communion of the gospel; not for any inherent righteousness, but for His great love wherewith he loved the unworthy and the wretched sinners.

Moreover, what shall be said of the apostles themselves, whom Christ verily chose, not being just, as Augustine speaks, but to be justified; when he said; I chose you out of the world? What if Christ chose them out of the world, that they might be just? then they were first unjust in the world, whom he chose out of the world, that they might be just. If they were first just, and not sinners of the world, whom Christ chose out of the world; then they first chose Christ, that they, being just, might be chosen by him.

But it was not so, for he himself says to them, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.”

These things said Augustine, by which it evidently appears how our election and justification, purchased by Christ, is perfected; not by any righteousness of works, but only by the free gift of grace; whence it is called by Paul the election of grace, not of righteousness, by this argument.

What if it is by grace, saith he, it is not now by works, or else grace is not grace; but if it is of works, then it is not grace; or else work would not be work. Which things being so, it necessarily follows, that the righteousness, which is wholly exercised in the observance of works, is not rightly called grace.

Moreover the grace of God, which is his free indulgence, because it hath no place properly, but where vengeance would be just; neither is there any just vengeance, where perfect righteousness flourishes. It is not a doubtful case in this place, whether all that we have should be referred to the grace and bounty of God. For who is so ignorant as to doubt thereof? neither is it a matter of doubt, whether the pious works of christians are pleasing to God? but whether christians do so please God upon the account of their pious works, that they are therefore justified, that they escape wrath, that being dead they revive, that they put on immortality, that they are received into heavenly glory. This your whole discourse contends for, as if there were no other way, or manner of turning away the wrath of God, and purchasing eternal life, but by the continual exercise of charity, and pious and holy actions; and because all instruction of living well, proceeds not only from the strength of our nature, but from the grace of God, which is purchased by faith. F102 Therefore, whatsoever you, any where, in reading the holy scriptures of God, meet with of the words grace and faith, presently you wrest that as a most sure testimony to confirm the righteousness of good works, and also to the defense of grace and faith.

Whence all their reasoning and discourse of good works is of this kind.

God doth not see and crown our works in us, but his own. And for that cause they rail at the Lutherans as enemies of grace.

There is no need here to warn you, pious reader, what should be judged of the designs and discoursings of those men, and what you yourself must beware of — with what deceit they prevent the simplicity of the apostolic doctrine, with what darkness they cover their own deceits; what man is so void of understanding, or hath been so little exercised in the reading of sacred things, but may with his eyes shut discern, how these things are not at all agreeable to the mind of the apostle? By which there is an easy opportunity given to judge, what should be judged of this whole generation of men and their church, which they, by a false name, boast to be catholic; which broaches amongst the common people, these monsters of errors, and tares of opinions, defends them in schools, preaches them in churches;which sends forth into the midst of us such dogmatists, and artificers of deceits, who not only corrupt the small veins and rivulets of sincere doctrine, but also proceed to the fountains themselves, and would invalidate the foundations of apostolic institution, and cut and tear the very sinews of the simple verity. For what greater injury can be done to the scriptures of God? What more cruel against the grace of Christ, what more hostile against the mind of Paul, and more gross against the soundness of the christian faith, can be said or devised than what those Roman potters have contributed by their commentitious deceits, to the plague and ruin of the christian commonwealth? For, what may we judge should be hoped for concerning the common religion, the sins of every one, and the state of the christian commonwealth, if the matter come to this, that this largeness of evangelical mercy being taken away or contracted, we must be called back again to the account of good works ? 32. CONCERNING THE VIRTUE AND EFFICACY OF DIVINE GRACE.

But those men will deny that they detract anything from the grace of God; yea, they say that this is the common sin of the Lutherans, not theirs, because all that they drive at is to maintain the mercy of God, and to celebrate it with due praises. They say, “Do not the pious works of the saints please God? “Well, and what next?” Should not the same works, having proceeded from God himself the author, be referred to his bounty and mercy?” Why not?

Such as do not attribute salvation to good works, should they be therefore supposed to attribute nothing to works, or to east reproach upon the grace of God? On the contrary, they that detract the promise of eternal life from the christian faith, shall they be accounted friends to grace?

By the same reason we may turn light into darkness, and darkness into light. Let Christ remain in his sepulchre, let Moses rise again to be judge of the living and the dead! But what arguments do they rely upon in disputing thus? “Because,” say they, “works of righteousness flow from the fountain of divine grace.” But, is not faith in Christ the Mediator, as singular a gift of God? and does it not proceed from the election of divine grace?

Whatsoever way these men form their argument, or reform it, they shall never be able to prove that the works of the law, whether such as we ourselves have wrought, or such as the divine grace works in us, do contain in themselves any cause of salvation. For what manner of consequence is this? “Because habitual influences of works, which make us acceptable to God, proceed no otherwise but from cooperating grace, therefore faith, without inherent righteousness, doth not justify, neither doth salvation consist of any other thing but good works.” But because there is a twofold sort of works, one of those which go before faith, another of those which follow faith, I would know of which of those two parts they understand it. If of the precedent, they will not deny those to be sins. For that which is not of faith is of sin. But if they understand it of works subsequent to faith, they will say that those are either perfect or imperfect. If perfect, and of such a sort that they answer the things commanded in the law, not only according to the substance, but also according to the manner of doing, to what purpose then is that daily saying of the church, Forgive us our debts? Or what will they answer to Augustine, who evidently confutes what they maintain?

On the contrary, if they are imperfect, languid, and lame, upon what account will those things make us acceptable to God the Judge, which are of themselves detective, and be-sprinkled with faults, and spots, and need another grace, by the commendation whereof they may be pleasing to God? What if that infinite and eternal purity, for the most part, in the Levitical sacrifices, did not endure whatever seemed any way defective, or deformed, or defiled with the least pollution, and which was not exquisitely entire and blameless in all respects — if so great integrity of all parts was required in the Levites and priests, that it was not lawful to suffer any one to enter into the holy place of the sanctuary, who was wounded in any member of his body, or deformed in any part — do you think that you can endure the presence of the most holy God with that half torn and ragged imperfection? Wherefore, seeing it must needs be perfect and unblamable upon all accounts, which by justification indemnifies and frees us from all sin before the dreadful tribunal of most perfect righteousness; surely no man can believe that it consists in our works, but only in the works of the Son of God; not those which his habitual grace works in us, but those which he himself hath both graciously undertaken to do for us, and also, having undertaken them, hath performed them to the full. 33. WHAT BENEFITS COME TO US FROM CHRIST, AND WHAT SHOULD BE CHIEFLY REGARDED IN THESE BENEFITS.

Now this is it in which chiefly the unspeakable amplitude of divine grace towards us doth evidently shine forth — that God, the almighty Governor and Creator of the world, according to his singular mercy, wherewith he hath loved the world, having given his Son, sent him to us, and so sent him, that he for us hath fufilled all righteousness. For there was no need that he should fulfill it for himself, and if he hath fulfilled it for us, what hinders now, but that may be ours which was done for us? or to what purpose should he do that for us, which he knew was necessary to be done by ourselves for our salvation? But if according to the saying of Aquinas, “Whatsoever things we can do by friends, we ourselves are said to be able to do it in some respect;” how much better may we ourselves be supposed, both to be able to do, and also to have done those things, which a friend is not only able to do for us, but hath also done for us! And this is that grace chiefly, which every where the evangelical writings sound forth unto us; unto which both all our consolation and salvation should be referred; which Paul the apostle, having received from Christ, did propagate with such continued labor among the Gentiles, and taught it with so great fervor of spirit, and made it evident with so many signs and miracles, and also confirmed it with so many scriptures and most sure testimonies.

Wherefore, those papists are the more worthy to be abhorred as being enemies to antiquity, and enemies to Paul, who seem to be busied about nothing else, but to abolish the gospel of Christ, and to overturn the foundations of the doctrine of the apostles, that have been long since very well laid by our first fathers, and endeavor to sow another gospel in the minds of christians. For what else doth all their doctrine drive at, who disputing about grace, faith, and righteousness, do so handle the matter by their philosophical principles, that he who observes their collections, distinctions, corollaries and opinions, will perceive that they do not teach as christians out of the gospel, out of Christ, out of Paul, but that the ancient philosophers of the old academy, or the Talmudists of the law of Moses are again risen up and alive. Except that this only difference is between them and the ancient philosophers, that these do palliate with the name of grace, and faith, in words, at least in some manner; but in reality, as touching the signification of the word grace, or the force of the word faith, they seem to be so very blind, as if they had read Paul little, or at least had not at all understood him. I do not rail at the men themselves, whom I rather account worthy of pity, but it is not at all convenient to endure the errors of men, because they east no small blot upon religion, and are injurious to Christ, and do violence to Paul, and overthrow the simplicity of the christian faith. Moreover, they adulterate all the sincerity of evangelical doctrine with their niceties, and after a certain manner subdue it unto human philosophy. Which, that it may appear the more evidently to the minds and eyes of beholders, let it not be tedious to you to hearken first, what divine truth, and then, what human opinions teach us.

But, because there are two things chiefly, in which the whole sum both of our salvation and religion is contained, grace and faith, of which the one belongs to God towards men, the other to men towards God, it very much concerns christians, that their minds be very well instructed in both. And grace indeed is discerned in those good things that are given to us, and promised by God. Faith is exercised in those offices, which are chiefly due from us to God, and are greatly requisite. Therefore, that we may rightly apprehend the nature of grace, we must see what and how great those gifts are, which the bounty of God hath partly bestowed upon us, and partly promised. Concerning which it remains that we should examine what the scribblers of popish divinity do hold. Now, what they teach about this matter, is for the most part to this purpose. They place the end of human life in blessedness, and the school-divines dispute about this very blessedness just after such a manner as the philosophers of old. did of their chief good; unto which they said every man must endeavor, according to his power, to attain by industry and diligent labors, and the merits of the greatest virtues.

And when the former Pelagians affirmed that we could do that by the strength of nature, there were not wanting others at the same time, who valiantly opposing the help of the grace of God to free-will, successfully rejected and exploded this wicked opinion, by the scriptures. After this came another kind of divines, who, having followed Augustine, disputed thus against the Pelagians, that we cannot so much as will good by freewill without grace, or merit eternal life by any means without grace. And that is true indeed. But inasmuch as those same men, joining grace again, deny not that we can merit life by works, and that according to their worth, what difference is there between these and the Pelagians, except that in the manner of working they somewhat differ? for those work without grace, these no otherwise but by grace; but both do equally err from the scope of true justification. For as untrue as it is, that it is in our power to perform any thing aright without the grace of God, it is again as false, that this grace of working was not given by God for any other purpose, but to produce meritorious works, whereby we may be justified. Though I deny not, by any means, that the divine grace of the Spirit is both fruitful and abounding with the greatest virtues, which can never be idle; but it doth not therefore follow by sufficient strength of reason, that the reward of eternal salvation is due to the merits of these virtues, as the generality of sophisters chatter with a great noise in schools. For thus Thomas Aquinas, the prince of this faction, and the others that are partakers of his discipline, discourse of grace; and in their summularies do define this grace, as if it were nothing else but a certain habitual infusion of the heavenly gift in the essence of the soul, because, as they suppose, it is a principle of meritorious works; for so Thomas defines it. And Guillermus not much differing from him, calls this grace, a form freely given to us by God without merits, which makes him that hath it acceptable, and makes his work good, and meritorious. Of these then is a common definition made up, and it thus defines grace unto us — that it is a gift of good will freely given, making its possessor acceptable, and rendering his work good. F103 And Albert shows the manner how it makes a man good; inasmuch as by infused virtues, as he says, it perfects the will of man for act.

By these things, it will appear evident enough what opinion hitherto hath been usual amongst those men in the popish school. In which neither their divines themselves are well enough agreed with one another; for some place this habitual gift of influencing grace, in the essence of the soul subjectively, that I may speak in their own dialect, amongst whom is Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure. Others chose rather to refer it, not to the essence, but to the powers of the soul as its proper subject, of whom is Scotus, and the allies of that order.

Again, There are those who think grace is nothing else but a virtue, which is the thing that Osorio strongly defends in his books. And Thomas confutes this heresy with much greater strength, and bears it down with suitable reasons. But the sum of all their sums drives at this, that faith only may be excluded from justification, and that they may not acknowledge any other justification, but what consists in exercising of works. Neither do they think this grace to be given to us upon any other account, but for this end, to fulfill, as they say, the commands of God, according to the due manner, without which the fulfilling of them cannot otherways be meritorious. 34. THE ERROR OF THE TRIDENTINES IN DEFINING GRACE, IS EXAMINED.

I have explained the sayings of some divines, which differ several ways from one another, yet they are all wonderfully agreed in this — that they may take away from sinners that saving grace which alone justifies us. Let us join also unto these, if you please, the sophisters of later times, and especially the nobles of Trent, and the heretics of that council, whose writings, opinions, and decrees, when they are read, what do they declare?

It may be said in a word, and truly — nothing that is sound, nothing that is not full of error, nothing that does not disagree with the genuine verity of the word. But what that error is, lest we should seem to accuse them without cause, let us explain in a few words, but true. Namely, seeing there is a twofold testimony of the grace of the Father towards us in the scriptures; the one, whereby in a free gift he bestowed his Son upon us; the other, whereby he bestowed his Spirit; the Son to die for us, the Spirit to sanctify our life; there is not any man, but should confess that they are both great gifts. He gave his Son, than whom nothing was dearer to him; he bestows his Spirit, than which nothing is higher in heaven. But for what purpose doth he bestow both? how does he give them for our advantage? for what end? with what fruit? what did he design in so doing? by what reason was he persuaded? by what necessity? by what mercy was the most gracious Father and Maker of the world moved? I would very willingly ask this first, either of Thomas Aquinas, or rather of those Tridentine fellowpriests.

For if free-will, being helped by the grace of the Spirit of God, as they say, could do so much by meriting through the infused virtues, even as much as was sufficient for obtaining salvation, what cause then was there why all this charge should be put upon Christ the Son of God? What need was there of his blood? Why did not the most gracious Father spare his life? But if so be that all other helps of grace could afford no help to expedite the business of our redemption; then it remains to be asked of those men, what they affirm of Christ, whether they acknowledge him the only Savior or not? And indeed I know that they will not deny that Christ is the only Savior. But in the mean while it remains that they should answer unto this, after what manner this only Savior saves his own, whether only by his innocency and death, or by adding other helps besides? Now if they judge that other securities are necessarily required, it must be known what sort of securities these are. Aquinas, with his associates, answers that those are gifts procured by the Holy Spirit, and habitual infusions of charity, and the like faculties of exercising righteousness, which helps unless they are added, the death of Christ, according to his opinion, is not of such efficacy that it should be able enough of itself alone to merit salvation.

And now, what then if those are added? Doth then at length full and perfect righteousness arise from these together, partly from the blood of Christ, and partly from renovation by new qualities, which may reconcile us being justified unto God. For thus Andradius with his fellow Tridentines divides justification, which Paul attributes simply to faith, into two parts; of which he affirms that the one consists in the remission of sins, and the other in the obedience of the law. Oh the pest of sophistical divinity, and intolerable deceits! For by this distinction it will come to pass, that Christ is not the only Savior, nor a complete one, but the Spirit that bestows these qualities. F104 For if the only formal cause of our justification consists in nothing but only the renovation of the inner man, by a willing receiving of grace and gifts; what shall now remain that may be attributed to Christ the Savior and his blood, but that he should only give a color to our merits, which being so colored may bring us directly into heaven? But if it be so, that the death of Christ alone doth not fully complete our redemption; to what purpose, or what way did he say it was finished, when his passion was finished? Or how are all things in heaven and in earth reconciled by the blood of his cross, as Paul witnesseth? Moreover, the same Paul, in many places, and in all his epistles, places the price of redemption in no other thing, but only in the blood and cross of the Son of God: In whom, saith he, we have redemption through his blood: but how shall we say that all things are reconciled by blood, if charity and the other gifts of renovation, and merits, are the things which make us acceptable to God, and claim unto themselves the greatest part of our reconciliation? What is this else, but to thrust Christ down, not only from his office, but also from the throne of his glory. F105 35. CONCERNING THE REWARD AND MERITS OF GOOD WORKS.

What then? Are there no merits then, say they, of the righteous? Is there no reward by way of merit left in heaven, which Christ promises to be so plentiful in the scriptures? What, will all that provision of inherent righteousness avail us nothing towards life? Will so many labors and store of most holy works profit nothing, wherewith we, being clothed by the Holy Spirit, are advanced daily more and more towards the fullness of righteousness? Augustine will answer to these things, and first of merits. “If you ask,” saith he, “whether there are no merits of the righteous? There are indeed, because they are righteous; but there were no merits, that they might be righteous. For they were made righteous when they were justified.” Therefore, they were not made righteous by merits, if we believe Augustine, but merits proceed from the just. By which you may understand, that a person is not valued by the dignity of his works or his grace; but that the dignity of merits receives its value from the justified person. Wherefore, seeing men are not made righteous by merits, as Augustine witnesseth, but merits receive their virtue and dignity from the justified, it easily appears from hence, what should be judged of reward by way of merit. For if, after the like manner it be asked, whether there is no reward of the saints in heaven: that which Augustine answers concerning the merits of the righteous, the same do I also acknowledge concerning the reward of the saints, that the saints want not a reward, and that a large one in the heavens. For they who are holy, a reward shall be appointed for them, not for the works themselves, because they are holy, but because they that work are holy.

For not heaven, but a reward in heaven is given, not to holy works, but to the workers. But if any proceed to ask, whence they are holy? I return to Augustine, “That they are holy from thence, whence they are also made just; not by works, but by the faith of the workers.” As for example; if any heathen or pharisee, who is a stranger to the faith of Christ, should do this that a christian does, though he should do also greater things, yet the works would not please God. And why should his works displease? or why should the works of a christian please, unless it were for faith? And that is it which prophetical verity in old time foretold should come to pass, that the just should live by faith — he says not that the faithful should live by righteousness. By which you see, that this life, whereby we live by the faith of the Son of God, is not rendered unto the merits of works, but consists of faith and grace; for grace and the gift of Goal is eternal life. If grace, where is reward? If a gift, where then is merit?

But what shall be said in the mean while unto testimonies that are frequent in the scriptures, which oftimes propose great rewards to pious works?

First, it is to be considered that by the very name of obedience, debt and duty are implied. Now the obedience we owe, can properly deserve no grace. What man at any time commanding a hired servant to do his duty, bestows grace or praise upon him for that which he owed upon the account of obedience, or therefore doth assign unto him any portion of his inheritance? What does the Lord himself answer to such servants in the gospel? Say ye, We are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was our duty to do. Now then, wherefore are those things called by the name of reward, which God renders unto our good deeds? The answer thereunto is — God proposes rewards: verily so he does: but the same God proposes dangers and combats. The most excellent Master of the wrestlings sees what and how great storms of temptations must be undergone, how many labors must be endured, how many difficulties lie before them. He sees through how many casualties and dangers, the strait way to the kingdom must be undertaken by them who are planted in Christ.

And therefore, that they may not faint in their minds, but proceed with the greater courage in their undertaken warfare, rewards are showed to them, as certain prizes and recompenses of victory, to stir up their minds; whereby the most gracious Father may mitigate the crosses of his own servants, and comfort them in their sufferings, with proposing hope of rewards.

And hence is that frequent mention of reward and recompenses in the scriptures. Not that those things which the saints suffer in this life, are worthy of rewards. For the sufferings of this time are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed in us: but because it so seemed good to the clemency of God, to esteem those merits of ours which are none, as if they were merits indeed; and to crown them, as if they were very great, which deserve no grace at all. For, who hath thanked a servant, as the gospel witnesses, for the service which he owed to his Master after he did his commands? and who would not rather have punished him, if he had not done them? But if he find any praise or reward beyond his merit, he hath cause to give thanks to his master, but not to boast of his own merits.

Therefore Augustine admonishes rightly and understandingly: “If you would be a stranger to grace, boast of your merit.” And Bernard was not wholly without sight, though he saw not all things, when he said it was sufficient for merit, to know that merits are not sufficient.

Briefly, that we may express the tiling in a word, whatsoever it is, which is called a reward in mystical writings, is nothing else but grace proposed in the place and name of reward. What if this present life, which we enjoy in the flesh, if the conveniency of life, and other ornaments, though transitory and temporary, are very rightly accounted, not to be our merits, but the gifts of God, how much more rightly shall that heavenly and everlasting reward of life, wherewith the most gracious Father crowns us, seem to proceed, not from the dignity of our works, but from his singular mercy and grace. Which though sometimes it takes the name of reward, yet if we rightly consider the matter, we shall find nothing in all this whole fabric of our redemption, but the only and singular grace of God.

First, because he endued thee with faith, and the knowledge of his Son: and because afterwards he washes thee in the saving laver of faith, and because having washed thee, he calls thee forth to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints, translating thee into the kingdom of his Son, whom he freely gives unto thee: and adopts thee for his Son together with him, and appoints thee for his heir. Because he promises the hereditary kingdom, and adorns, changes, refreshes, and comforts thee with his Spirit; beautifies thee with virtues, justifies thee by faith, Overlooks very many of thy sins, esteems thy good deeds which are very small, as if they were the greatest, and rewards them as if they were eminent.

He brings thee forth to the combat, looks upon thee fighting, adds strength to thee, guards thee with patience, restores thee when fallen, gives thee a way of escape in temptations, and raises thee up when thou art dead, and exalts thee to the mansions of never perishing glory.

What do you contemplate in these, but the boundless and altogether infinite greatness of grace? And to comprehend all that hath been said of it, whatsoever it is that we are, or shall be, that we move, that we live, and are to live — what is it but the grace of God that showeth mercy? Not of man that willeth or runneth. Examine and search yourself, and all things that are yours: first consider your vocation, who calls thee to this grace? it regards those only whom divine grace sets apart for itself, not those that are puffed up with human learning, not those that are of the noblest extraction, and dignified with the high titles of their ancestors; but God hath chiefly chosen the base and unpolished things of this world, which seemed contemptible and of small value, according to the vulgar opinion. And that I may express it in a word, those things that were nothing he exalts unto the highest sublimity. Why so, but that he may have all the glory to his own free grace, and no place for glorying left for human endeavors and merits? Of which thing, if any man require more sure examples, let him call to mind the calling of Peter, with the rest of the fishermen, that were his fellow apostles; and chiefly let him admire the stupendous history of Paul’s conversion: in whom, if we look at his very original, as Augustine speaks, and seek for his merits, we shall find that they belonged to damnation, not to salvation. 35. THE CALLING OF GOD AND HIS GRACE, ARE FREE AND GRATUITOUS, BEYOND ALL MERITS OF OUR WORKS.

Let us come down nearer to ourselves, and now take example from thyself; christian brother, whosoever thou art. Consider with yourself both what you now are, and what formerly you have been. You stand in faith; who gave it you? You continue in the faith; who upholds you? You are assaulted by temptations, and do not succumb; who helps you? You are perpetually in danger amongst so great a multitude that perish; who supports you? You sin daily; who forgives you? Dangers, terrors, miseries, weariness, besiege you on every side; who gives you help? Moreover, whithersoever you turn yourself, what do you see else, but all arguments of favor and grace, which take away from men all confidence in works, and glorying in merits? Anti where then is that thrice accursed curse of the Tridentines, whereby all and every one are devoted to the dreadful destruction of damnation, who setting aside the helps, the coadjutorship of merits, assert that the grace of God whereby we are justified, consists only in the favor of God? And whoever dare say that a man is justified by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness only, or by the remission of sins only, whilst charity doth not together with it communicate its influence in the hearts of the godly, and that the grace of working well is not joined thereunto? F106 Which, if it be true, what should be judged of the prophets, what should be judged of Christ himself, who are of a contrary judgment?

We must either acknowledge that those were destitute of the Spirit of God, or else that those Tridentine sanctions are contrary to divine grace. The prophet cries with a loud voice, the apostle also cries, that it is not of him that runneth or willeth, but of God that showeth mercy.

And, will the Tridentine counselors remonstrate against this — that man’s salvation consists only in the favor of God? Wherein then? Running, say they, must be added, and the choice of free-will must be added thereto.

Who denies it? We run all of us, each one for his own portion, being placed in our stage by God. For the christian life is a race, not a play; an exercise, not a vacuity from business; a warfare, not slothfulness. Be it so indeed, yet in this same race how unhappily do we oftimes run! How often do we stumble! How many ways do we fall, how blind and traversed a way do we often go! And so sometimes we run headlong, either wandering every one his own way, as the prophet speaks, or with the sheep of the gospel wander sometimes out of the folds. But we return presently, say you, into the way — it is well. But who is it that calls you back? Your own will, or the grace of Him that hath mercy? I see that you return, and I praise it; but to whom is this praise due? To the strength of your will, or to free mercy?

And now teach me what this running of yours deserves. You only look at how much you proceed in running, but you do not also take heed how much you fail in your race. And, after all, do you yet boast of your merits, as if the reward of the everlasting state were due to your labors?

In these assertions I do not aim to dissolve the pious endeavors of making progress, or to dishearten them by desperation. For the admonition of the apostle is not in vain; So run that ye may obtain. And again; No man is crowned, except he strive lawfully. Let us therefore so strive, that we may be crowned; let us so run that we may obtain. But we do not therefore obtain, because we run; but we do therefore run, because the promise is made to them that run, not to them that slumber. So that the running is not the cause of the promise, but the promise stirs up to running, and adds alacrity to the runners. Therefore, the apostle, that he may make them the more valiant in striving, adds this promise, Your labor shall not be in vain in the Lord. And, speaking of himself, I have fought, saith he, the good fight; and a crown of righteousness is laid up for me. What then, do you not see that labors well performed have their own reward due to them?

Be it so, indeed: but we treat not here of the labors of men, but of the merits of labors; we do not ask, with what rewards the goodness of God dignifies us, but what we ourselves deserve to receive? For there is no small difference between gift and merit. If merit is called that to which a recompense of reward is due, by reason of its equality, it is certain there is no equality between those things which we do here on earth, and those things which, being promised, we expect in heaven. The inheritance of the everlasting kingdom is promised, not that which upon the account of hire is due to our works, but that which is promised to our faith by the free gift of God.

Whence Paul, when he said, The wages of sin is death, he doth not add next thereunto, The reward of them that live godly is life eternal: but, The grace, saith he, or the gift of God is eternal life.

And why doth he not as well say, the reward of righteousness is eternal life, but that the difference between gift and reward, between grace and recompense, might be evident? For if it is of grace, then it is not of works: if of works, then it is not of grace. But now, that he might manifest the infinite riches of divine grace towards us through Christ Jesus, he proclaims openly that we are saved, through grace, by faith. And that not of ourselves, it is the gilt of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.

Which also elsewhere inculcating more clearly, he says, Not by works of righteousness which we have done. — How then? But according to his mercy hath he saved us.

And now what is that mercy, but the favor and loving-kindness of God, which, remitting the rigor of justice, spares those that are unworthy, pardons the penitent, receives into favor them that are undone, which favor or mercy also glories against judgment? All which being so, what should be said of the hypocritical fathers of Trent, who by the public decree of their senate pronounce those accursed, whosoever dare say, that the grace of God, whereby we are justified, is only the favor of God? F107 36. THE ABSURD PARADOX OF THE TRIDENTINES, WHEREBY THEY DENY THAT WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY THE FAVOR OF GOD ONLY.

By what then will they say that we are justified, if we obtain it not by the favor of God only? By the law? But that works wrath. By the works of the law? The apostle expressly excludes those; Not of works, lest any man should boast. But here may be called to mind the ordinary gloss of the schoolmen on Romans 6, which resolves no difficulty, but makes one by its subtle comment, partly affirming that we are justified by works, and partly denying it. For thus it says, “Our works, as they are ours, have no power to justify, yet consider them as they are not from us, but are wrought by God in us through grace, they merit justification. And for that cause the apostle would not say, the wages of righteousness is eternal life; but chose rather to say, the grace of God is eternal life.” Why so? “Because (saith this device) those merits to which eternal life is rendered, are not from us, but they come from grace, whence they receive the virtue of meriting.” Oh, wild talk to vilify grace! What if the Spirit of Christ, influencing the hearts of his own, stirs up the holy offices of charity, and excellent motions to piety? Doth not the same Spirit also vouchsafe all other gifts to his church, bestowing on some gifts of prophecy, on others divers kinds of tongues, on others admirable virtues of curing and healing, and on others of teaching, for the edification of the saints? Shall we therefore place our whole justification in those gifts received from Christ?

I know that there are both many and eminent virtues, wherewith the Spirit of Christ always adorns his church; but it is one thing to adorn, another thing to justify the church. The gift of sanctification is one thing, the cause of justifying is another: both whereof, though Christ perform by his grace, yet he sanctifies one way, and justifies another; for he sanctifies by his Spirit, but he saves and justifies only by his death and blood. But you will say, If salvation is not placed in grace, why then is the grace of God called by Paul eternal life? Verily it is certain, and must be confessed, which Paul teaches, that our life must be attributed wholly unto grace, to which also it behooves us to attribute all other things. But we must look what way this grace saves and justifies; for it is that on which the whole controversy depends. In which the generality of the adversaries are greatly deceived. 37. AGAINST THE TRIDENTINES, IT IS DEMONSTRATED BY THE SCRIPTURES, THAT THE GRACE OF GOD, WHEREBY WE ARE JUSTIFIED, CONSISTS ONLY IN THE FREE FAVOR OF GOD, AND REMISSION OF SINS, NOT IN THE MERITS OF WORKS, OR INFUSION OF CHARITY.

Thomas Aquinas, and they that follow him, according to the gloss which they call ordinary, do not deny that which the apostle affirms, That we are saved by the grace of God: but if you ask after what manner, they answer, that it comes to pass upon the account of good works. For these are the words of the gloss. “Grace, is called eternal life, because it is rendered to those merits which grace hath conferred.” And to the same sense are the comments of Orbelius, Bonaventure, Halensis, and others, because, say they, without grace no man can observe the commands of God. And Thomas adds elsewhere, that “to fulfill the commands of the law according to the due manner, grace is necessarily requisite to fulfill them with that charity that ought to be, by which the fulfilling of them becomes meritorious.” Which comment of theirs, we having formerly explained how false and frivolous it is, there is no need now of any new arguments. Verily the christian doctrine teaches us far otherwise; for though we confess that which is reasonable, that the divine grace is never idle, but always stirs up the minds of the regenerate to the best things; yet these works are never of so great value, as to promote them unto eternal life; which is freely promised by God, not to them that work, but to them that believe; or if salvation is promised to them that work, it is not therefore promised because they work. But they that truly believe, do therefore work, because salvation is promised. Therefore, justification first proceeds in the most direct order, as the cause of good fruits, but that is not effected by these. It consists only of the free favor of Him that confers it upon them, not upon the account of them that merit, but upon another account, namely, that whereby the most bountiful Father, of his own will, hath given to us, meriting nothing, his only begotten Son, who hath fulfilled the law for us, and hath satisfied the justice of God for our injustice. For herein consists all our salvation, and the efficacy of divine grace, and the praise thereof appears very evidently. Not that we in the mean while being idle, should do nothing; but that doing all things, we should attribute nothing to ourselves, imputing all to the mercy of God.

Which things, that they may be confirmed with the greater evidence and certainty, let us compare them with the most sure oracles of sacred scripture. And first, beginning at the very first head of that book, let us consider Adam, that miserable progenitor, and overturner of our nature; who, when he had both privately and publicly destroyed both himself and us all, by an abominable wickedness, received at length the most blessed tidings of the promised Seed. What could the bounty of God have promised more firmly, or have given more largely to any man, though he had been most holy? And what did that first and chief sinner deserve to receive? Abraham was commanded to leave his native country, and to go out whither God called him; thereunto was added a very glorious promise of giving him an inheritance, and he obeyed Him that called him. The Promiser did not fail; Abraham was increased and enriched above measure; but if I ask, by what merit of his own, what can the admirers of works answer me here? Afterwards Isaac was born to him, when his father and mother were so old, that there was no hope remaining of their having children. Why so; but that God might make it manifest, that in the benefits of God, there is not left any thing for human pride, wherein it may glory?

Joseph very kindly helped his brethren, who were in danger to perish for hunger, though they had very inhumanly conspired his destruction; neither did he only furnish them with plenty of corn, but also promoted them to great honors. And now what merits did they bring with them, that they should be so honorably entertained?

The same may be asked concerning the Israelites, who having slain a lamb without blemish, were delivered from most grievous bondage; but for what virtues of their own? Whether for keeping the law? But the law was not yet made, at least it was not yet written. Was it because they obliged the prophet Moses with kindnesses, whom rather they endeavored to betray by most unjust ways and complaints? After they had endured so many laborious travels and journeys, they came at length to the promised land of their inheritance, in which, first, the town of Jericho is besieged, the walls fall down, not by strength, but by sounds. Afterwards, having slain and subdued so many kings in one day, the people are placed in their habitations. It was verily a great miracle of victory, but whence happened this victory? What shall we say? Because the Israelites were more in number? Assuredly it was not so. Was it because they were stronger?

Neither was that the cause. Did they then excel all the other nations in virtues? What nation was ever more perverse? But will you say, they obliged God to befriend them by observance of his worship? How often and how grievously did they exasperate God with their sins! How wickedly did they murmur against their leaders, and so provoked the anger of God against themselves! How often was the clemency of God, by their perfidious rebellion, wicked contrivances, untractable stubbornness, murmuring concupiscence and perverseness, not only provoked, but also almost overcome; so that he would have utterly destroyed the rebellions people with all their posterity, unless Moses, the meekest of men, by humble prayer, with hands lifted up, had turned the provoked anger of God into mercy. But it is better to take notice, what the Lord himself speaks against this people with his own mouth; Say not in thy heart, when the Lord thy God shall destroy those nations before thee, For my righteousness the Lord brought me in to possess this land, whereas those nations were destroyed for their own abominations. For thou shalt not enter in to possess their lands for thy own righteousness, nor for the uprightness of thy heart, but because they did wickedly they were destroyed at thy entering in. And that the Lord might fulfill the word which he promised by oath to thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Know, therefore, that the Lord thy God hath not given thee this land for thy righteousness, for thou art a stiff-necked people, etc., Deuteronomy 9.

Ye have heard the plain and simple history, but yet true, of that which came to pass, and not only true, but also much more mystical. If all things happened to them, as the apostle witnesseth, 1 Corinthians 10, under a figure, what else should we judge concerning this history, but that, under the history, lies hid a more hidden mystery. For it cannot be doubted, that this land of Canaan, that was promised to the Israelites, represents those celestial and immortal mansions of the inheritance above; which if it be true, let us compare the truth with this figure and shadow, the antitype with the type. Just as they, not being helped by any merits of their own, yea, contrary to all their merits, neither for any peculiar cause in them, but through the singular favor of God promising, and for the sake of the fathers, to whom it was promised by oath, received by gift the possession of the country that flowed with milk and honey. So also we should judge of the heavenly country of immortality: that it is not due to any virtues or works of ours, but that it comes to us by the free promise of God, for the sake of his Son, into whose hands all things are given that are in heaven and in earth.

What will the angelical dogmatist (Thomas Aquinas) answer here with his gloss? But either that those things did not happen to them in a figure, and that they belong not at all to us; or he must needs acknowledge that our interests are hereby represented answerable to theirs. That we may proceed in the sacred mysteries of scripture, what shall I now say of those, who, being bitten by serpents, had no other way of recovery but by the serpent set up upon a pole? Again, what shall be said of those in the prophet Jonah, who being in dreadful danger, as soon as they had thrown out Jonah, and had committed him to the mercy of the waters, the tempest being presently quieted, escaped safe with the ship? What else do all these arguments teach, but that, casting away confidence in all other things, and distrusting ourselves, we may account that all the help for our obtaining salvation, is placed in no other thing or virtue but in His death only, who by his blood hath reconciled all thing’s both in heaven and in earth. How often in the psalms, in the prophets, in the gospel, doth the scripture, shutting up all under sin, take away from man, not only merits, but oftimes drives the holiest unto this, by an acknowledgment of his own unrighteousness, that he acknowledges his salvation to be placed, not in those things that are given, but those that are forgiven to him by God. For, as touching the name of merit or reward, if it be found anywhere (for it is found sometimes) let no man from hence flatter himself as if God owed it to any man. But let him know rather upon what account God is said to do that.

Not because the deed; which of themselves are imperfect, deserve life, yea, which rather stand in need of pardon; but because the bounty of God imputes these works, such as they are, for merits to them who work. Why so? Because they are the works of the faithful; who, if they were not believers, their merits would have no room at all, nor be of any value in the sight of God. As if a father say to a son, If so be thou lovest learning, thou shalt obtain any thing of me, and be my dearly beloved son. By this speech the father doth not so oblige himself to the son, as if for no other cause, but for performing obedience, he would receive him to himself for a son: yea, because he is a son, therefore the father commands what he will, and the son performs what he ought. God useth sometimes thus to propose a recompense and rewards to the regenerate, whereby we may be stirred up to do well. And there is no doubt but the rewards promised will follow the office performed.

But, in the mean while, let us see to whom this promise was made, and for what cause it was made; of which let us understand what is the opinion of Osorio; “God hath promised, to all that live righteously, great wealth, exceeding great pleasures, and an immortal kingdom, very great dignity, everlasting glory,” etc. F108 There are many faults in these argumentations, and that is none of the least, which is committed by making a division not sufficient; in which kind Osorio offends here: for, whereas there are two kinds of promises, very much differing from one another; the one belonging to the law, being annexed unto certain conditions; the other belonging to the gospel, being free, without all condition of law; yet the whole discourse of Osorio is so taken up in that legal kind, that he does not so much as make mention of the other. “God hath promised,” says he, “to all that live righteously,” etc. That is true, indeed, if we look to those things that belong to the law: for the law, as it hath its threatenings, so also it hath its promises, proposed to them that live unblamably; in which we are commanded to do this and live. Concerning which Paul also saith, Peace and life to every one that doeth good. So then the law promiseth, and the gospel also promiseth, but upon a different account; for they differ in this.

The promises of the law regard the desert of life. But the grace of the gospel doth not so much regard the manner of life, as the faith of the person; and measures his dignity, not by the merits of works, but measures the merits of works themselves, by the faith of the believer, and the dignity of the object only on whom he believes. Wherefore, as touching rewards proposed in the gospel, it is not enough to look only on the things themselves which are proposed, but the consideration must be referred to the faith and person of believers, of what sort they are, whether planted in Christ by faith, or out of Christ, to whom the promise is made? If out of Christ they are servants and unbelievers; no promise or expectation of reward belongs to them. But if in Christ they are sons, and regenerate by faith, then all is due to faith, not to works: it is of grace, and not of merit, whatsoever the father either promises his sons for love’s sake, or imputes unto them in the place of a reward. And indeed this imputation, in which all the confidence of our salvation is contained, proceeds from the grace and favor of God only; and also it must be considered that there is a twofold kind of imputation with God; the one, whereby the righteousness of Christ is ascribed to us, and when for his sake, our petty duties are imputed for great, and recompensed with the highest rewards; the other, when he doth not punish, but pardons great crimes in his own that are regenerate.

Concerning which the apostle said, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself; not imputing their trespasses unto them, 2 Corinthians 5, Romans 4, Psalm 32. But the sons of the papacy do in no ways endure this imputation. Why so? They think it an unworthy thing that any man should be called righteous by another man’s righteousness, which is not inherent in himself This cavilling would be well founded, if our affair were carried on by nature, not by grace; if by law, and not by redemption.

Our debt indeed is infinite, the payment whereof the law doth necessarily require of us. Neither can it be denied that we are not able to pay, nor shall ever be able to pay that debt, if our ability be considered. But what if some rich king intervene, who paying the debt that was owing, gets himself a right to the indebted citizens; and, having freed them from all obligation, makes them subject to his own command; what will those furious and importunate pleaders for works say here? May we not enjoy the bounty of another, because we have no ability of our own? Will they say that no payment is just, but what is paid with a man’s own money? That which is done by a friend, for the sake of a friend, is it not just as if it had been done by himself? If that which was due from us be paid by the price of Christ, is there any law so cruel as to exact the same debt of us again? And what will the adversaries require more here? that he should be condemned for unjust, whosoever hath no righteousness of his own? and, indeed, this is true in judicatories, if no redemption intervene, which may satisfy in the room of another. But now, seeing our affairs are in such a condition that the condemnation of the law hath nothing that it can demand of us; assuredly that is a sufficient plea for us, which was done by him, who made satisfaction for us. But these men again cry out against us, saying, that it cannot be by nature, and that it is no less contrary to all natural reason, that any thing should take its being from that form, which is not its own, but another’s.

Answer to this, That it is true indeed formally, as to the essence of a thing, but not judicially. For, though the righteousness of another, which is not inherent in us, cannot render us essentially just who are by nature unjust, nothing hinders but the righteousness of another may help our righteousness, according to judicial imputation. Even as nothing hinders, but the riches of another may be east upon another’s poverty, by a certain communion or imputation of good things; so that he who in himself is poor, yet may be esteemed rich in another: and not unlike unto this is our communion of mutual imputation with Christ; for, as our sins being imputed to Christ, were hurtful to him, even unto the suffering of punishment, so, by the like mystery of dispensation, the righteousness of Christ being adjudged and imputed to us, though it doth not inhere in us essentially, yet in respect of possession and dispensation of judgment it is profitable to us for a reward of life, just as if it had been our own righteousness; for otherwise, to what purpose is Christ said to have done and suffered all these things for us, if what he did and suffered serve not for our advantage? But if they serve for our advantage, why cannot those things be justly accounted for ours, which were undertaken in our name, and for our sake? If the name of imputation so greatly offends them, which they think doth not well agree with christian piety, wherefore doth Paul so often seem not only to use this word imputation, but to delight in it? F109 EXTRACTS FROM THE SECOND BOOK.

CONCERNING FAITH AND THE PROMISE. [Fox commences as follows.] YE have heard then of grace and merits, of free imputation and remission of sins, on which depends all our justification and salvation. But now, seeing this remission must be received by faith only, it remains that we should treat somewhat of faith, especially that we may confute the calumnies of adversaries, or that, if it be possible, we may help the errors of those that are so great enemies to this manner of justifying, which we affirm to consist of faith only, without works. Upon which kind of doctrine, if we only, or first of all men should stand, there would be less wonder at so great tumults of these men.

But seeing Christ himself, and Paul and the prophets and apostles profess themselves to be not only witnesses, but also the authors and leaders in this opinion, whereby we are taught, that we are justified only by faith in the Son; when every one of the most learned writers and interpreters, who were of the primitive antiquity, attest the same with unanimous consent, from whose instructions we ourselves also have learned the same, what is come to those popish reasoners, why they should oppose themselves so unreasonably and so fiercely? And now let us consider what that is which so much offends them. Luther disputes that faith is imputed unto righteousness without works. Paul the apostle taught the same before Luther: what will Osorio say unto this? what will the pope of Rome himself say? what will the senators of Trent say? That good works must be joined with it? What! must all good works be joined with it, or not? if they shall say all, where will they find those that have completed this exact cyclopaedia of virtues in this life, except the Son of God only? But if they understand it of most, or some good works at least, yet that will not be sufficient.

For unless every one of the virtues, joined together as it were in a mutual bond, are untied for righteousness, they cannot profit at all being separate.

Who ever loved his neighbor as himself; according to the prescript of the law? But suppose there were some such man — what if such a man rages with concupiscence of the flesh or eyes, though the inward mind doth not consent? What if the mind swells with self-love, or overflows with the pride of lilt? What if it is enslaved unto covetousness, or somewhere fails in its duty? What advantage will it be to be observant. of charity? Briefly, what if it be so, that thou aboundest with all other virtues, but only failest in one command, doth not the sentence of the scripture condemn thee for the violation of the law?

Moreover we may speak in the words of Thomas Aquinas himself, “That if the mind is inwardly guiltless as to any consent unto the sin, yet such is the condition of our nature, that though, through grace, it is healed in respect of the mind, yet in respect of the flesh, by reason of which it serves the law of sin, corruption and infection remain in it, Romans 7. The obscurity of ignorance remains also in the intellect, concerning which, Romans 8, “we know not what to pray for as we ought.” From all which it remains, that justification consists either in faith only, as the next cause; or that the accession of our virtues, which are neither perfect nor entire, do not at all avail to righteousness before God, but rather to accusation: for, Cursed is every one that abides not in all things that are commanded in the book of the law to do them, Deuteronomy 27, Galatians 3.

What is the proper nature and definition of faith, whereby we are justified before God, is inquired into from sure and true foundations of scripture.

By the many things which we have hitherto discoursed of grace, and its girls, there is a sufficient defense made against the assaults of sophisters, for the guarding of this principle, which assigns all the power of justifying to faith only, through the free mercy of God. But because I see it is not clear enough amongst divines, what that faith is whereof we speak, I thought it requisite to speak something of it in this place; that having surveyed the opinions of others, and rightly explained those things which seem to need distinction about this word, we may at length be led as it were by the footsteps of the word of God, to that true faith, which truly and simply justifies us.

But because the wordFAITH is used in various senses, and there are many things that are believed by us, for whatsoever things we find to be true and sure we presently give credit to them, yet any sort of persuasion settled in the mind, though it be true, or any sort of truth about things conceived, cloth not therefore, upon that account, justify before God. Therefore, in this so great diversity of things to be believed, we must see what that faith is, whereof all our salvation and righteousness before God consists, and what is the proper and simple definition thereof; whence it receives its power to justify, to whom it belongs, and in what notions it differs from that faith which our adversaries hold.

Luther hath discoursed many things very gravely and excellently of faith, and of the freely saving righteousness of faith. But he understands this faith which justifies us, much otherways than the accusation of his Romish adversaries pretends. Who was ever so mad, as that he judged faith, that it is no other thing, but that every man should have a very good opinion of his own salvation, and should be strongly persuaded thereof in his own mind?

Though in the mean while, we deny not that there is always joined with faith a confidence of good hope, yet if we will rightly examine the proper natures and causes of things, we shall find that there is no small difference between hope and faith. For every man doth not obtain righteousness, upon the account that he is very courageous in hoping well. For otherwise, what Turk or Jew is there, who doth not in his own mind catch at a goodly persuasion about his own salvation, and the gracious favor of God? We may also add unto these the pope of Rome, who by a certain magnifical, but most vain hope, flattering himself; doubts not of his being the only successor of Peter! So also the papists doubt not but as soon as they have whispered their sins into the ears of a priest, by a silent confession, that immediately they go away pardoned after the performance of this work; and when they put the innocent servants of Christ to death for the faith, they do not at all distrust that they do God service, whereas the matter is far otherways.

Therefore, it is requisite to see, not what every man hopes, but how rightly he hopes; not how great his hope is, but how true. The same also must be done in faith. But that it may appear true, it should not be measured by human opinion, but according to the right rule of scripture. Neither is it only requisite to look, what any one promiseth, but to whom and for what it is promised. There are wonderful and infinite things, which the bounty of God promises in the way of free sift. For salvation and life eternal is promised. Yet these good things are not therefore promised, because they are hoped by us; but we therefore hope because they are promised. So then hope doth not go before the promise, as a cause, and make it, but follows it as an effect, and it depends upon the promise, and not the promise upon it.

By which you see that it is not hope, no, not when it is most right, that justifies us, and renders us capable of the promise of God, but some other thing. What is that, I beseech you, butFAITH, to which properly the promise is made? For the covenant of eternal life properly is made with us believing, and not only hoping, that is, not for the sake of that which is hoped, but for the sake of that on which faith relies. F110 [Fox then proceeds to expose the sophistries and fallacies of the Romanists in their numerous definitions of the word, Faith. To follow them through these scholastic mazes was important at that day, but now would neither interest nor profit the general reader.

We may therefore here confine ourselves to some extracts wherein Fox gives the more scriptural views of the protestant faith.] I do not deny that the death of Christ is truly meritorious; and let the adversaries consider diligently what it hath merited. “That the spiritual help,” say they, “of divine grace and charity to perform the law, might be diffused into us.” What then? Died Christ for no other cause, but that he might obtain the gift of charity for mortal men to perform the law? Did he not rather die upon this account, that he might blot out the handwriting which was against us in the law, having nailed it to his cross, that he might take away the enmity, and might destroy death for ever; might dispossess the devil of his kingdom; that there might be food and sustenance for our hunger; that he might make principalities and powers subject to his triumphant dominion; that he might take possession of all power in heaven and in earth. We consider Christ to be indeed the meritorious cause of our justification, and that he is not so much the meritorious, as the efficient cause of our renovation, seeing it is he that baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Suppose we grant that this charity flows in upon us by the merit of Christ, yet I do not therefore call this same infusion of grace a cause of meriting justification, nor any part of a cause thereof; but it seems rather fit to be reckoned amongst the effects and fruits of justification, which follow from thence; neither doth it follow, because the works of grace and charity come to us by the merit of Christ, that therefore the same do merit justification before God. For it relies upon no condition of works at all, but only the promise, and that a free one also; and so free, that it implies no condition except one only. And because in this place we inquire what is that only and peculiar condition, the doctrine of the gospel will easily teach us, if we are more willing to hearken to the gospel than to the opinions of Trent.

The condition, whereby we are properly justified, is this: That we should believe in Christ, and adhere to him by a constant confession. In which faith, in the mean while, a diligent caution should be observed, that this faith should be directed unto a proper and legitimate object. For the sense of our question is not, what is truly believed by us, but what faith that is which justifies the wicked before God from his sins; and that we should search by the gospel, what is the proper object of this faith. In the mean while that is a very ridiculous thing, and too barbarous, that the pope in his decretals reduces the object of faith to the keys and succession of the Roman chair, and that as necessary to salvation: but away with this deceiver and his cheats.

Now let us discourse of others, who reasoning with more sound judgment about faith, coming much nearer to evangelical truth, do thus define faith unto us, that they place its object in the mercy of God only. For thus is faith defined by most of our divines at this day, namely — That it is a firm and constant reliance on the mercy of God, promised freely for the sake of Christ. Which definition, if it be true, by this means it appears that the object of faith is placed no otherways, nor in any other thing, but in the free mercy of God laid hold upon; which is not denied to be true in this sense, as faith in this place is taken for a reliance, as it is often used in this signification, because it hath a respect to mercy, and brings forth assurance in the mind of believers. But whether this reliance properly justifies us before God, may here be inquired with profit.

Reason leads to think that this reliance on mercy, and assurance of salvation promised, must be a thing very nearly joined with faith, and which every man ought to apply to himself; but then when it is most applied, it is not that which properly and absolutely unloads us of our sins, and justifies us before God; but there is some other thing proposed in the gospel, which by nature should in some respect go before this assurance, and justify us in the sight of God. For faith in the person of the Son, which reconciles us to God, doth necessarily go before. And then reliance on most assured mercy follows this faith, concerning which none of those that believe in Christ can doubt. [Again, passing by some of Fox’s arguments against the fallacies of the Romanists, we proceed to the following.] You will say, Is not the free promise of God a most true cause on which our whole justification depends? If you say on God’s part, it is true; if you ask on our part, you must go further, and something seems to be necessarily joined with the promise. Now that we may set the thing more evidently before your eyes; God promises salvation to his own, and that freely, and for Christ’s sake. That indeed is most certain, and beyond all controversy. Go on — And you put trust in the promise of God. You do very well in doing so, and I commend the constancy of your confidence.

When salvation is promised freely for Christ’s sake, shall therefore an absolute promise save all men promiscuously for Christ’s sake, without any restriction of condition? I suppose God will not save all promiscuously.

Now then, this promise belonging not to all, but to some certain persons only, upon some certain condition, I would know, who those are, to whom this promise properly belongs. You say, “Believers,” and in that you say well; but how? or believing in whom? Are they not those that believe in Christ himself? Is it not he only, for whose sake only salvation is promised to believers? Doth not this faith only in thePERSON of the Son of God, make us partakers of the promise? Doth not this faith only justify before God? Moreover, is not this the only condition, which every where, the voice of Christ, and the apostles in the gospel, and the voice of the prophets inculcate; which the appointment of the Father especially requires, that we should hear his beloved Son, that we should receive Christ, that we should believe in his name, that we should fly to him by faith, and. betake ourselves wholly to him; that we should believe in him whom he hath sent, whom the Father hath sealed, that we should digest him inwardly in our minds, that we should be ingrafted into him, and should grow in him, that we should know Jesus, and him crucified only, that we should behold him only, as the Israelites of old beheld the serpent in the wilderness, that we should put on Christ.

Hence come these so frequently repeated sermons in the gospel concerning the person of Christ: He that believeth in me hath life eternal: As many as received Him: They that believe in his name: He that believes in the Son of God: That every one that seeth the Son, and believes in him: He that believeth in me shall never die: Do ye believe in God? Believe also in me:

We believe and know that thou art Christ the Son of the living God: He that believes in Him, who justifies the ungodly: Justifying’ him, that is of the Faith of Jesus Christ: If thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, etc. That we may believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and believing may have eternal life: If thou believe with all thy heart, etc. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved and thy house: The righteousness which is of the faith of Christ: We have access through the faith of Him: The promise of the faith of Jesus Christ: By faith which is in me: By his name all that believe in Him: If ye do not believe that I am he: Except ye eat my flesh:

Except ye abide in me: If ye abide in me: Ye are all the sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ. F111 By which so many and so evident places of scripture, there is no man that cannot be most sure, what is properly the object of that faith which justifies us; namely, no other thing, butTHE PERSON OF THE SON OF GOD. As again the object of confidence is the promise of God. Which things being so, it will not be difficult to gather from these notions of scripture, what is the true and genuine definition of justifying faith, concerning which we are making inquiry; which seems, that it ought to be defined according to the right rule of the gospel after this manner: — That it is a right knowledge of the Son of God planted in our minds, whereby we acknowledge a promised Christ, and receive him, being held forth, and with our mouth profess him to have died for us, and to have risen again; that we worship him in spirit, and embrace him with all our mind, together with all his benefits.

And this faith, as it is a singular gift of God, so of all the gifts of God, we believe this faith is that only which justifies believers in the sight of God.

To which, though assurance and confidence of the grace of God is most nearly joined, which is itself also sometimes called by the name of faith, yet this confidence doth not properly infer the cause of justification, but receives it being brought; neither doth it cause justification; but is rather caused by it, and renders those assured, who are justified by the faith of Christ, but doth not itself justify. For God doth not therefore forgive thee, and receive thee for a son, because thou embracest the mercy of God with a holy confidence; but because thou embracest his Christ with a right faith, and confessest and lovest him, he loveth thee. Neither do we believe in Christ, because we are assured of salvation, and trust the promises; but because we believe in Christ, therefore we attain unto a certain hope of those things that are promised in Christ; for eternal life is promised to him that believes in the Son. And from hence arises that clear distinction between faith and assurance; for they differ in subjects and objects. The faith of Christ, which brings forth righteousness, takes its place in the higher part of the soul, wherein the understanding is. Assurance hath relation to those powers of the soul, in which hope, and the like affections are placed. As touching the objects, assurance hath respect to the mercy, or the promise in Christ; faith is directed to Christ himself, because he obtains mercy for believers.

Though we confess this to be most sure, that nothing is more sure than our justification by Christ; yet if the cause be inquired for, which properly justifies us from our sins, we answer, It is faith, not whereby we believe that we are justified, but whereby we believe in Christ the Son of God, who only is a propitiation for our sin.

Now you have our opinion ofJUSTIFYING FAITH, and the true nature thereof explained unto you; what its power is, and what its object.

Moreover you understand how this faith is distinguished from hope and assurance. And wherein the true and next cause of justification is taken up — whereof if ye inquire for the internal cause, it is faith only, whereby we believe in Christ. If you inquire for the external matter thereof, it is Christ only, whom we embrace by faith. [After unravelling and exposing many of the popish errors on this subject, Fox proceeds] — You have here briefly set before you, a summary of catholic divinity, concerning the perfection of righteousness, which, though there is no man but sees how absurd and unreasonable it is, yet that it may appear the more evidently, it will not be amiss to reduce all the debates of the adversaries into a short logical form of argument.

THE TRIDENTINE ARGUMENT F112 Major. Whosoever perform all the commands of God, they are truly righteous, not by imputation, but by true virtue, and merit eternal life.

Minor. The regenerate, by renewing grace, obtained through faith and the merits of Christ, perform all the commands of God.

Conclusion. Therefore the regenerate are not only accounted, but also are really made righteous by grace, and merit eternal life.

In this one syllogism, if it be attentively considered, as in a little map, all the pollution and deceit of the popish doctrine is comprehended; and it is no hard thing to answer it.

And first, I would not unwillingly grant them that which they assume in the major — for the laws appointed by God, comprehend all righteousness within the limits of their circumference. If there were any man, whose life was exactly squared according to the strict determinations of this law, and defective in no circumstance, I should esteem him to be worthy, not only of the title of righteousness, but also of the rewards that are due to a righteous man.

Let us proceed to the other parts of the argument. The minor follows next, The regenerate in Christ, whom faith hath once justified, having now received divine grace, they attain unto such a degree of charity, that they are wanting in nothing that is requisite to the most perfect obedience of the law. But I would fain know where those regenerate men are, and who they are? for it is abundantly evident, that they who are the maintainers of this doctrine, are no such men themselves. Their lives are so well known, that there is no need of other arguments to prove it. If they are compared with their profession, what is more disagreeing? What more differing from righteousness? Where hath peace and grace less flourished, and iniquity more abounded in manners?

But as touching charity, and an habitual gift of grace, we detract nothing from it, as we have said before. But this grace hath its own degrees and measures, and bounds wherein it is contained. For charity is not given to justify any man by working, neither is so great a power of divine grace communicated to any man in this life, as to fulfill all christian righteousness in every jot and tittle. Though it be certain, that the bounty of God beautifies the church with many and great ornaments, yet he doth not cause her to arrive at so great perfection in this world, but that she always hath need of the mercy of God, and the remission of sins. Indeed he preserves his saints, and enriches and ennobles them, that they never perish but not so that they never sin. This fullness of grace the Father bestowed on his own Son by a singular prerogative of his will, that all might receive of his fullness, for God gives not the Spirit to him in measure; but he hath not dealt so with others; he hath given to every man according unto the measure of the rule whereby he distributes to us, lest we should glory without measure, or stretch ourselves too far above that grace which is given to every man according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Therefore, let no man arrogate unto himself that which belongs not to him; but that which belongs to us is this, we know in part, as the apostle speaks, and we prophesy in part, and now we see through a glass darkly. But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part, shall be done away. F113 Therefore, perfection not being attainable, let us be content with that whereof we are capable, and leave that fullness of perfection which is void of all sin, to Him to whom only it is due. [Fox then argues very closely with the Romanists as to the inconsistency of their lives, compared with the requirements of the gospel.] But wherefore do I so much enlarge upon this matter? The reason is, to make it evidently appear, that when the Tridentines have said all they can, yet the whole concern of our salvation and justification consists not in our merits, and mercenary works, or integrity of manners, and holiness of life, but in the gracious favor of God. Whereby he not only renews the inner man, but delivers the whole man, both outwardly and inwardly, from the bondage of death, wherein he was wretchedly ensnared; frees him from the curse, redeems him from the slavery of Satan, and a state of damnation, forgiving all his sins, and daily offenses, whereby he most justly deserved eternal destruction.

Though conversion may seem lost for a season by the falls of the saints, yet notwithstanding, the regenerate are not cast out of the favor of God, inasmuch as they are not finally forsaken. Otherways, if any sin of infirmity should utterly make void all the grace of God, how was the grace of Christ sufficient for Paul, when he was buffeted by a messenger of Satan? or how is his strength said to be made perfect in weakness? Moreover, how else is that saying of the apostle true, Where sin abounded, grace hath superabounded, if divine grace hath no union with any, but them that are arrived at perfection?

Pious reader, what testimonies of greater authority dost thou look for?

That which the Tridentines affirm, the apostle denies! If they say true, the canonical truth is a falsehood. But if it be blasphemy to entertain such a thought, must not they of Trent be liars? What need is there to prove it? I will express it in a word. The testimony of scripture, the consent of nature, the experience of all ages, the judgment of the learned, the sayings of the ancient fathers, the examples of all the saints, the general opinion of all good men, the guilty conscience of evil doers, the constant prayers of the church, her complaints and tears, the rebellion of the flesh, the wicked imaginations arising in the heart, the deceit of errors, the groans of troubled spirits, the disturbances incident to a mortal life, and death itself, common to all men — moreover, the constant confessions of the papists, and their often repeated absolutions; what is the meaning of these so many and weighty arguments? What is it that they declare, but that the righteousness attainable in this life, is either none at all, or such as Augustine describes; that consists more in the remission of sins, than in the perfection of virtues? And, lest any should flatter himself with hopes of perfection in this life, let us hear what the same Augustine, commenting upon John, infers, “Let not sin reign in your mortal body. He says not, Let it not be, but, Let it not reign. For, as long as you live, of necessity sin must be in your members. Yet let the dominion be taken from it; let not that be done which it commands.” And again, writing to Macedonius, “Who of us is without sin?” And again, repeating the same, “Who in this life is without some sin? But we call him good, whose goodness prevails; and we call him best, who sins least. Therefore, those whom the Lord himself calls good, by reason of the participation of divine grace, he calls the same also evil, because of their infirmities, until our whole man be thoroughly purged from all corruption, by passing into that life, in which we shall sin no more.” Thus said Augustine. Where then is that real infusion of virtues, as they call it? where are these new qualities, and that inherent righteousness, that hath a need of remission of sins? for what need is there of remission there, where there is nothing to be forgiven? For what sin can remain there, where the perfect purification, as they speak, of body and soul, from all pollution of sin, makes us holy, and partakers of the divine nature?

Briefly, to comprehend the matter in a few words, lest this discourse should grow into too great a bulk, by what has been discoursed at large, these things following will appear sufficiently cleared. First, what is the nature of true faith, which causeth righteousness; what is its proper object; from whence it receives power to justify, — which we have proved by the scriptures to proceed wholly from its object, that is, the Person of Him only, in whom we believe. Now because faith only embraces the person of Christ, therefore faith only, upon the account of its object, and not for the sake of our virtues, justifies the sinners and ungodly. [Fox then proceeds to show “What sinners are justified by Christ.”

He says,] Though all men are sinners by nature, and in many things we offend all; yet all are not sinners alike. They that have no sense of their sins, no trouble in their conscience, nor shame for the abominations they have committed, but run on headlong and without fear, into all wickedness; though they profess Christ, and faith in him with their mouth, yet their heart is void of him; neither doth this empty profession yield them any benefit. Of which sort of men Christ preaches in the gospel, Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, but he that doth the will of my Father, etc. After the same manner the whole epistle of James treats of these, and such like men, whom he denies to be justified by this counterfeit and hypocritical faith. But on the contrary, those that sincerely repent and mourn for their sins, and, abhorring their own wickedness, return to Christ with all their hearts, and receive him by faith, these only are the sinners whom faith alone justifies without works, according to that well-known saying of Paul. And by this means it will not be difficult to reconcile both the apostles, Paul and James, to one another. For as James, a servant of Jesus Christ, cannot deny but faith, when it is found in a penitent and humbled sinner, justifies him freely without works, and before all good works; so on the other side, neither doth Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, approve of that faith which works not by love, nor does he admit abominable wretches of profligate lives, to have any fellowship with Christ. [Fox next gives “An answer to those that say the preaching of faith is pernicious, pretending that it opens a door to irreligion and licentiousness. He urges that the truth or falsehood of things depends not on the use or abuse of them, and Says,] In order to answer this objection, though it hath been sufficiently answered already, two things must be considered, one belongs to the manner of preaching, and the other to the truth of the doctrine. Anti first as touching preaching, their objection is very false. For though we teach that faith only justifies, yet we neglect not to use strong motives to the practice of good works, and sharp admonitions, and not only admonitions, but also severe threatenings, yea, and moreover excommunications, if need be, to restrain wicked practices.

The frequent sermons that are preached in our churches bear witness to this, in which, according to our power, we exhort unto works of piety, and, by the authority of scripture, thunder the judgments of God against harlots, adulterers, covetous persons, highwaymen, sorcerers, that they may know there will be no place for such in the kingdom of God and Christ, except they amend their lives. Who was more zealous than Paul, in exalting the righteousness of faith? And who was more holy in life than he, or more fervent against the sins of those that walked not after the spirit, but after the flesh? The books of our divines do evidence the same, in which they discourse no less of repentance, and good works, than of faith, joining always the one with the other. Therefore, as touching the manner of teaching, you will find that it is not faith only, which is treated of in the churches and books of men of our persuasion. But if the matter of debate between us be about the cause of salvation and justification, there is nothing more agreeable to sound doctrine, than that an ungodly sinner is justified before God, by faith only without works.

But you may object; “This doctrine hardens the people in their sinful; courses.” If you understand it of all, it is false: if of evil doers, that run on in sin against their conscience, and take no care to restrain their lusts, as for such, who ever said or taught, that they are justified by faith only? And yet nevertheless, the truth of this assertion remains invincible, whereby we affirm that a wicked man is justified by faith only, without works, if the scope and meaning thereof be well understood. Which will be easy if we understand aright who they are whom faith only justifies without works, according to the saying of Paul; for herein chiefly lies the difficulty of this controversy. Neither is there any thing wherein the adversaries are more grossly mistaken; and herein they follow the footsteps of those, concerning whom Cyprian justly complains, saying, “They look at that which is said in the first place, but regard not what follows after.” They catch at that which we assert of faith only, exclusively, and think there is injury done to good works, if faith only is sufficient to salvation; but they take no notice what manner of persons they are, to whom this justification by faith belongs.

Christ affirms, Paul confirms, yea, the common practice of life, natural reason, and experience, and the consciences of all good men proclaim, that ruin comes only from our works, and salvation only from Christ. And because we receive this only Mediator Christ, by faith only, hence it is that we assert it is faith which justifies believing sinners before God. But let us see what manner of sinners they are, whom faith justifies. Is it the rebellious and impenitent? No verily. Then it must be such sinners as are converted, and humbled, and have the fear of God before their eyes. But there is no fear, that such will continue to wallow in their former filthiness, on the contrary, they are hereby so much the more stirred up to amend their lives. All ages have abounded with examples of those, to whom the doctrine of free justification by faith in Christ, as it conduced much to their necessary consolation, so it was no hindrance to their leading a holy life. If charity, according as the adversaries themselves do testify, is the perfection of the law, which is the rule of life, let such men declare, whether he to whom more, or he to whom fewer sins are forgiven, hath the strongest obligation to love either God or his neighbor? Which of these two, mentioned in the gospel, loved Christ with the greater ardency of affection, Simon the pharisee, or Mary, that brought with her no good works at all, but a great multitude of sins? And why was her love to the Lord more vehement, but because she had more sins forgiven her? But let us proceed; Wherefore were so many and so great offenses forgiven her, but for her faith, which guided her love? for she did not therefore believe in Christ, because she loved him, but because she knew him to be the Son of God; her faith being thereby incited to act the more vigorously, she loved much.

For, love proceeds from faith, and not faith from love. Because we believe, therefore we love; but we do not believe, because we love. Whence the Lord, regarding more her faith than her love, said to her, Thy faith, not thy love, hath saved thee.

HOW LOVE AND REPENTANCE ARE CONCERNED IN JUSTIFICATION.

But you may say, “Is faith alone here? Is it not joined together with love and repentance?” I grant indeed, that they are all three together in the person of the believer. But in the case of justification, faith only is regarded. And the others do follow as fruits and effects thereof. For as that woman, unless she had believed in the Mediator, made known unto her by faith, had never loved him; so she had never come unto him, as her physician, unless the disease of her troubled conscience had driven her.

Wherefore, if we reason aright about causes, these things follow faith as effects and fruits thereof; but they are no causes of obtaining salvation.

We have spoken of Mary Magdalen; let us now behold the pharisee, and compare the one with the other. If the woman that was a sinner, by her love merited, as they speak, justification, what shall we say of the pharisee?

Did not he also love the Lord? Would he have gone to him so courteously, or invited him so lovingly, or received him into his house so kindly, or entertained him at dinner so honorably, unless he had been moved with some affection of love? What shall we say of his faith? Did he not believe, being instructed by the holy scriptures, in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth? Did he not receive Christ as a prophet? Now he, believing in the Father, and receiving the Son with affectionate love, what could be wanting to him, that was necessary to justification, if so be that all our justification is perfected by charity? And yet, I suppose, no man will say, that this pharisee was justified by Christ, that is, set free from all condemnation by this love of his. Why not? Because faith in Christ as a Savior was wanting. But suppose he had faith, and he, trusting to his own righteousness, but being puffed up with pride upon that account, had begged no help, and imagined he needed no pardon, would this faith have availed him to justification? Assuredly not.

But you may say, “That is true indeed, and therefore this proves, that faith only doth not justify.” I answer, and request the adversaries, that, laying aside the desire of vain jangling, they would examine the matter according to scripture and right reason.

Though the manifest testimony of the apostle Paul, and the examples of the saints make it an undoubted truth, that only faith in Christ the Son of God hath the power of justifying without works, yet it cannot open this power upon all, but only those in whom a fitness is found for receiving the displayings of divine grace.

But none are found more fit, than those that seem to themselves most unworthy, and none less fit, than those that are most highly conceited of their own worthiness. Seeing we are all sinners by nature, nothing can be more reasonable, than that we should acknowledge the filthiness of our own abominations, and east ourselves at the feet of almighty God. And there is nothing that God more requires, than this: whose nature, or rather mercy is such, that he delights not in any thing more than in a humble heart and a broken spirit, as the psalmist declares, He sayeth such as are of a contrite spirit. And, in the prophet Isaiah, God testifies of himself, that he is the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, and dwells in the high and holy place, and also with him that is humble and of a contrite spirit, to comfort the humble spirit, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. And for that cause he calls aloud in the gospel, and offers his kind invitations, chiefly to such as labor, and are heavy laden, that they may come unto him, and be eased.

What is coming to Christ, but believing? What is it to be eased or refreshed, but to be justified? Though indeed he calls all, and despises none that come to him, yet so it comes to pass for the most part, that none come to Christ as they ought, unless they are pressed and burdened under the sense of their sin and misery. And again, that heavenly Physician is seldom sent unto any others, but such. As the prophet bears witness, who making a particular description of those to whom Christ was to be sent, he sets before us the meek, the broken in heart, the captives, the prisoners, the mourners in Sion, them that are walking in darkness, and sitting in the shadow of death, etc. And the psalmist speaks much to the same purpose, <19A701> Psalm 107, describing the mercy of God on this manner. He filleth the hungry soul with goodness, and such as sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron. Though he, being sent by the Father, is given to all, yet he is not entertained by all with the like affection.

The Lord himself shows the cause thereof: For what need have the whole of the physician? Therefore, as a skillful physician doth not administer his medicines but when sickness requires it; so faith cleanses none, but those whom repentance also amends; neither doth the gospel heal any but those whom first the law hath slain, and conscience hath wounded. And as that is most true, which we preach by the authority of Paul the apostle, that men are justified by faith only without works, so on the other side it is false, which the adversaries assert, that by this doctrine of faith it comes to pass, that all care of good works is cast off, and the reins are let loose to all manner of wickedness. Howbeit, if they speak of such impenitent persons as go on resolutely in their sins, we acknowledge, that such as they are not justified by faith, and yet we assert that this is no way prejudicial to the cause that we plead. But if they speak of such as join repentance with evangelical faith, and therefore stand in need of consolation, if they deny that those are justified by the faith of Christ only; they discover themselves to be utter enemies of the gospel, and adversaries to Christ. And again, if they assert that such penitent believers become worse by this doctrine, they do therein err exceedingly, and lie abominably.

Wherefore, that the mouth of malice and slander may be stopped, let these professors of divinity, who condemn this doctrine of Paul as heretical, take our proposition, not by halves, but whole, that when faith is said to justify, they should understand aright, whom this faith justifies. Namely, none of those that continue stubborn and impenitent in their wicked courses, but only such as acknowledge their sins with grief of heart, and being weary of their former abominations fly to Christ by faith for refuge.

But here they take another occasion to cavil: for if faith justifies none but them that repent, “Then,” as they say, “faith only doth not justify; but together with faith, a godly sorrow, and mourning for sin justify also.”

It is true indeed, that faith is joined with repentance, in him that is justified from his sins. And yet repentance is no cause of justification. As those that are afflicted with a painful disease, their pain makes them desirous of a cure, but yet there is no healing virtue in this desire. So faith and conversion are united in the person that is justified.

But as touching the cause of justifying. Repentance indeed prepares a soul for the reception of justification, but the cause of justifying lies altogether in faith, and not at all in repentance. For the just Judge doth not absolve him, who hath violated his justice, because he is grieved upon that account, but because he believes in Christ, who hath satisfied justice, and for whose sake pardon is promised to such as repent; for in him are all the springs of our justification.

EXTRACTS FROM THE THIRD BOOK.

WHICH IS A CONFUTATION OF THE ARGUMENTS, WHEREBY THE ADVERSARIES DEFEND THEIR INHERENT RIGHTEOUSNESS, AGAINST THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH. An argument taken out of St. James by the adversaries. “No dead thing justifies.

All faith without works is dead.

Therefore, No faith justifies without works.

Answer. First this manner of arguing is captious, and transgresses the right laws of logic. For the terms therein exceed the due number: for there is a redundancy in the conclusion, by this addition, “without works.” For this should have been the conclusion: “Therefore no faith that is without works justifies.” And that may be well granted without any disadvantage to our cause. For, suppose we grant, that faith is dead, which is not moved with a desire of doing good works, according to the saying of St. James, yet it doth not therefore follow from hence, that no faith justifies without works.

From which two things do follow, worthy of consideration.

First, That no faith justifies, that is not lively. And next, Though it abounds in good works, and never is without them, yet it only without works justifies.

This will appear evident by the example of St. Paul; who though he was not conscious of any wickedness, yet he durst not affirm himself to be thereby justified.

The whole argument may be yielded to, if the terms are rightly placed. The adversaries gather out of the apostle James, that faith is dead, which is without works, and herein we do not much oppose them. But what follows from hence? Therefore, as they say, dead faith without works doth not justify. And I deny it not. But what conclusion flows from this manner of arguing? Do they mean, therefore, faith only doth not justify? Why so? “If no faith, but that which is lively, justifies, and if it receives life only from works, then this is the consequence, that faith justifies only upon the account of good works.” Answer. First, though we grant it is true, that the faith which justifies us in the sight of God is lively, and always joined with a godly life, yet, that this faith justifies and reconciles us no other ways, but upon the account of good works, is most false. For this is not a good consequence from the premises: “Because faith is not alone in the life of the believer, therefore faith is not alone in the office of justifying.” Or, “Because the faith that justifies is not a dead, but a lively faith, therefore it doth not justify alone without works.” For herein is a fallacy of the consequence. But you may object, “Whence then is faith said to be lively and not dead, but from works? Which if it be so of necessity it must draw all its life and virtue from works.”

Nay; the matter is quite contrary. For though in the sight of men, faith is not discerned to be lively and vigorous, but by works, yet faith receives not life from works, but rather works from faith. F114 As fruits draw their life and sap from the root of the tree, but not the root from them, just so external actions proceed from faith as the root; if they are good, they evidence the root to be sound and lively, and this is all they do, but they communicate no life thereunto. This life and virtue of faith is not one, but twofold. And it acteth partly in heaven, and partly in earth. If you ask what it doth amongst men upon earth? It does good to its neighbor, working by love. But before God in heaven it .justifies the ungodly, not by love, but by the Son of God, whom alone it lays hold o£ Therefore, those men seem not to have got a clear insight into the virtue and nature of the grace of faith, that suppose the whole life thereof to consist in love; as if faith of itself could do nothing, but as it receives virtue and efficacy from charity.

Indeed both may seem to be true in the external actions of human life, in which faith lies like a dead thing, unless it be enlivened by charity to the exercise of good works. And hereunto belongs that saying of Paul, whereby he so much commends faith working by love; understanding such works as faith, working by love, brings forth to the view of a human eye.

Yet with God faith hath a far different operation; for it only, without any reliance upon works, or assistance of charity, but trusting to the naked promise of God, and the dignity of the Mediator, climbs up to heaven, and gets access into the presence of God; where it does great and wonderful things, combating with the judgment to come, fighting against the terrors of death, Satan, and hell; pleads the cause of a sinner, obtains his pardon, absolves and justifies him from the accusations of a guilty conscience, takes away all iniquity, reconciles God to the sinner, appeases his wrath, subdues the power of death and the devil, and procures peace, yea, and paradise itself, with the thief that had led a wicked life; and yet at death was justified by faith in the Redeemer. Who would desire more or greater things?

And now, so many and great things being done by faith, let us inquire, after what manner it does them? Not as it lives and works by love, but as it lives only by Christ, and relies on the promise. For the life of faith, which lives before God, is not charity, but Christ; not receiving life from charity, but communicating life unto it, and justifying works, that they may be acceptable to God, which would otherways be abominable. Unto the truth of this we have a sufficient testimony given us by Paul, when he says, My life is Christ, Galatians 2, and again, The life that I now live in the flesh, I live, not by the love, but by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. And elsewhere, speaking of himself, he says, That he was not conscious to himself of any wickedness, and yet he denies that he is thereby justified; as the same apostle discoursing about the works of Abraham, though they were so eminent for holiness, yet he saw nothing in them which that great patriarch might make a matter of glorying before God, Romans 4.

Works of mercy, as they are considered in themselves, are not the cause of justification, or blessedness, but rather effects and fruits of justification: for they are no otherways pleasing to God, but as they are performed by persons in a justified state, and it is by the faith of Christ that they become acceptable. For unless faith go before, and justify the person of him that worketh, his works are not at all regarded by God; because they do not satisfy the law of God, being tainted with the corruption of depraved nature, and come far short of that perfection, which Divine justice requires.

But you may say, “What must then be answered to the words of Christ, who seems to promise the blessedness of the kingdom as a reward of works? Matthew 25. Are not works that are performed in charity, for the relief of the poor, pleasing and acceptable to God?” We deny not that ourselves; but we inquire into the cause wherefore they become acceptable.

Which, that it may appear the more evidently, let us examine these words of scripture; I was an hungered, said Christ, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink, etc. I ask, in the first place, who is it here that was an hungered? You will say, “Christ, either himself in his own body, or in a member of his body.” Did you then feed Christ when he was an hungered? That was piously done, indeed! Therefore I see and commend what you have done. But I ask, What was it that stirred you up to do it? Was it charity, setting faith to work, or was it not rather faith setting charity to work? But what if some other, that was no member of Christ, whether heathen or Turk, had need of your meat? Would you, in this your charity, have fed him? I doubt of that. But suppose you yourself had not believed in Christ, but had been an enemy to him, if you had seen one that belonged to Christ almost ready to perish for hunger, would you have relieved him? I do not believe so. Why? Because it is only believers that feed Christ, but infidels persecute him. The Lord was thirsty on the cross, and he had vinegar given him for drink; which was hellish wickedness. But why did they give him vinegar? Was it want of love, or was it not rather want of faith in those unbelieving pharisees? Who if they had not wanted faith, they would not have wanted charity, to administer help, and charity would not have been unrewarded. But suppose one not a believer, whether Turk or heathen, should refresh a hungry christian, by giving him of his meat, as old Simon the pharisee entertained Christ. And many of the heathens have been eminent in offices of kindness and love.

Can the giving of meat and drink by any such, without faith, merit eternal life? Surely not. But if a believer gives his christian brother even a cup of cold water in his necessity, shall he lack his reward? Christ himself says he shall not.

Hereby you may see whence it is that our virtues and good deeds are acceptable to God, and dignified with rewards. Not for themselves, but for the faith of him that works them, which first justifies the person before all works. And after the person is justified, his performances are accepted; and though they are of small value in themselves, yet they are looked upon as great, and are rewarded plentifully. Wherefore, we deny not that sometimes in the scriptures the name of reward is joined with eternal life; and that the works of brotherly charity may in some sense be called meritorious, if these works are performed by persons who are already justified, and received into favor by remission of sins, and have obtained a right unto the promise of eternal life. Not that their works are of such value, that they should make satisfaction to the law of God, or merit any tiling with God (ex congruo, or condigno, as they phrase it,) either by congruity or worthiness. But they are imputed as merit by grace. Not that eternal life is due to the works themselves; but because there are consolations laid up in heaven for saints and persons in a justified state, to support them in their afflictions: eternal life not being due to them for their works, but by right of the promise; just as a son and heir, to whom his father’s inheritance is due, doth not merit the right of sonship by any duties that he performs; but he being born a son, his duties upon that account are meritorious, so that he wants not a due reward and recompense. Therefore, in this popish argument there is a fallacy.

ANOTHER ARGUMENT TAKEN FROM THE WORDS OF CHRIST, < 400701 > MATTHEW 7, BY THE ADVERSARIES. “He that doth the will of the Father, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. “It is the will of the Father, that we should do good works, that are commanded in his law. “Therefore, an entrance into heaven is obtained by the works of the law.” Answer. Suppose we grant all contained in this argument, what will these Roman justiciaries infer from thence? “Therefore,” as Vega speaks, “faith is not sufficient to salvation, without the keeping of the commandments.”

It is easy to answer in a word. Let him keep the commandments according to the exact rule of the divine will, and he shall be saved. But neither he, nor any other man can perfectly keep the commands of God in this life: from whence we infer this by necessary consequence — that either there is no hope of obtaining the kingdom, or else that it lies not in the works of the law.

Now, if it be so. what remains, but that finding this is not the way to heaven, we should seek for another way; and because there is no door of salvation opened to sinners in the law of commandments, therefore we must fly to another refuge. But what that refuge is, appearing to us from heaven itself, the divine will declares unto us, which is not set forth in the old law, but in the new testament of the gospel. And this is his will, that every one who believeth in the Son should not perish, but have eternal life, John 6. For whereas the law was weak because of the flesh, God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for ‘sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, that walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, Romans 8. Objection. But here some may object; “Will the faith of Christ justify us, in such a manner, that it may be lawful for us to disobey the will of the Father, and that we may do so with impunity?” God forbid. The liberty of the gospel allows not that; for it openly affirms, that they who are justified by the faith of Christ walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. To this purpose our Lord himself speaks, though not in the same words; Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. For what is it to do the will of the Father, but (as Paul expresses it) to walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit? In which place, a perfect obedience to the whole law is not required to justification; but the meaning of our Lord’s words is this, that he requires a faith which is not counterfeit, nor hypocritical, but upright and sincere; which doth not only outwardly and with the mouth make mention of the name of the Lord, or the temple of the Lord, as the pharisees and hypocrites did of old, but heartily endeavors to walk in the fear of God. And though it cannot perform all things commanded in the law, yet it strives, as much as in it lies, to shun all things that are contrary to the will of God; that, at least, sin may not have the dominion, if it cannot be wholly excluded or rooted out. Thus should be understood these words of Christ, To do the will of his Father, which is in heaven. For God requires us to do his will, but does not exact a complete perfection of obedience in this mortal life. On the contrary, he that makes an outward show of faith, and an external profession of the name of Christ, whilst he takes no care to lead a life suitable to his profession, but runs on in sins against his conscience, it is certain, that such a faith, according to the saying of Christ, profits him nothing, though he boast in the name of the Lord as much as he will. Not that faith without works doth not justify before God, provided it be true, and not counterfeit; that is, if it is received into a heart truly humbled, as seed into good ground; but because that faith, which doth not provoke unto love and good works, though it may be boasted of at a high rate, yet in reality is no faith at all, but only a shadow, and false resemblance of faith. And the same answer may serve for all their arguments, which they have wrested out of the sermons of Christ in the gospel, to de-tend their doctrine of justification by works. [Upon another argument from John 5:29 and Romans 2:6.

Fox observes,] We must appear all of us before the judgment seat of God, where account will be taken of all the actions and practice of our lives.

Therefore, let every one that hath regard to his own salvation, endeavor, according to his power, to lead a life suitable to his profession; and without hypocrisy, to join a good conscience with a good faith. For the word of truth hath told us, They that have done evil shall come forth unto the resurrection of damnation, John 5, Colossians 3.

But are such scriptures contrary to justification by faith, in such as, together with the profession of faith in Christ, join the fruits of obedience; which though it is not perfect upon all accounts, yet is yielded in sincerity and uprightness of heart, according to their weak power and capacity?

Which though it comes far short of the complete perfection of the law, yet nevertheless our justification is full and perfect in the sight of God. For what is defective in our works, he supplies by his own imputation, through faith in his Son, which faith is imputed to us for righteousness, not for our working, but for our believing. For though the abominable rebellion of wicked men, who walk not alter the Spirit, but after the flesh, brings upon them the judgment of condemnation, yet this continues to be a truth, The just shall live by his faith. And he that believeth in me shall never perish, Romans 4, Habakkuk 2, John 17.

But you may say, “The sentence of the Judge remains evident and uncontrollable; which promises the resurrection of life, to them that lead a godly life.” Answer. That is very true which the Lord says, but the conclusion drawn from hence is very false. For in these words, Christ joining the fruit and the tree, persons and things together, gives the comfortable hope of eternal life unto his own servants, who according to their power labor diligently in the gospel. Nut thereby determining what their works deserve, but showing with how many, and great rewards he will crown their labors, who have suffered any thing for his name.

ANOTHER ARGUMENT OF THE ADVERSARIES.

Unless your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, Matthew 4.

Therefore, not faith only, but also works of righteousness exalt us to the kingdom of heaven. Answer. By these words the Lord gives us serious instruction, what manner of lives they ought to live that are justified. But he doth not thereby signify what is the proper cause of justification. If you inquire for the cause of justification, the Lord hath resolved that doubt; Thy faith hath saved thee, Luke 7:18. This is life eternal, that they should know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, John 16. In like manner Paul expressed himself, If thou confess the Lord Jesus with thy mouth, and believe with thy heart, that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved, Romans 9. But if you inquire what manner of lives they ought to live, that make sincere profession of the faith of Christ, we are taught in this place, and by many other sayings of scripture, that they ought to differ much from the lives of the scribes and pharisees; namely, that they who are created in Christ Jesus, should behave themselves without a pharisaical vizard of external holiness, or a proud conceitedness of their own righteousness; but that they should be adorned and beautified with sincerity and uprightness of mind, and persevere in the practice of good works, which God hath prepared, that we should walk in them. He said not, that we should be justified by them, but that being justified by his grace, we should walk in them, bringing forth fruits worthy of our vocation. [On an argument of the adversaries from Luke 3:9. Fox observes,] By what has been said, any reader, not void of sense, may easily discern that we seek not to banish good works out of the world, that they should not be necessary; but we only remove them from being a cause of justifying, that so both faith and works may be put each of them in their own place, and contained within their own bounds. For Paul did not in vain, nor without great necessity, exhort with much vehemency to the godly practice of a christian life. For what is more glorious in itself, or more worthy of the profession of christianity, or fitter to adorn the doctrine of the gospel, than that those who are called by the name of Christ should resemble him exactly in their manners, and in the practice of their lives?

And as they profess themselves to be citizens of the heavenly kingdom, they should, according to their power, endeavor to lead a life like heaven upon earth? On the contrary, what is more abominable or odious, than if those who have been engaged by so many benefits, exalted to so great dignity, and are joined to him in so near an union by so many covenants and obligations, if yet they do not follow his footsteps, nor imitate him in the practice of their lives?

Therefore, in this we and they agree, that works of piety are very necessary; but we must consider, wherein this necessity lies. For they are effects which of necessity depend upon their cause, from whence they proceed, but the cause hath no dependence upon them by any necessity.

By the like consequence, we call many things necessary in common offices of civility and humanity; as when kindnesses are received, what is more necessary, and according to justice, than a thankful remembrance of the favor received, and a readiness of mind, to give evidence of thankfullness, not only in words, but also by repaying kindness with kindness, if there be opportunity? Which thankfulness was nevertheless no cause of the kindness that was done. Let us here compare other kinds of offices. Who knows not, that a son and heir ought of necessity to be dutiful to his father? But again, who can be ignorant, that this is no cause in him, why he should receive the inheritance? The same also may be observed in marriage, where the wife being tied to her own husband, of necessity owes subjection to him, which nevertheless she shows to him, not so much for any law of necessity that extorts it, as of her own accord and willingly, being moved by a principle of love; moreover, when she shows him the greatest subjection, this necessity is no cause of the marriage bond. Just so it is in the performance of godly works, which Paul commands us to maintain for necessary uses, Titus 2, not that necessity of works is any cause of justification, but because it cannot other ways be, but that where true faith is, there of necessity good works are required, and yet they are not so much required, as they are a necessary consequence. For who was ever endued with the true knowledge of Christ the Son of God, or had the secret breathings of his Spirit, or had a lively sense of his unsearchable power, and the unspeakable glory of his majesty, but is drawn after him with the cords of love, and cleaves unto him with all his heart, setting light by all the vanities of this world? Moreover whoso hath a true savor of Christ, he despises the world, and all the things of the world, as the dirt under his feet? So that now there is no need of any law, to exact works of righteousness of him who is truly planted in Christ, because he is a law to himself, and does more of his own accord, than can be commanded by any compulsion.

AN ARGUMENT OF THE JESUITS. “The word only is not found in the holy scripture, therefore faith only doth not justify.” Though it is not true, that this exclusive word is no where found in the holy scriptures, yet suppose we should grant it to be true, what would be the consequence? Verily those things that follow from a necessary consequence, though they are not expressed yet they are implied.

Seeing we meet with so many other things in sacred writings, that exclude all accessory works from having a share with faith in justifying a sinner, what hurt is it to sound doctrine, if the word “only” is not expressed; when you read such scriptures as these? Being justified freely by his grace, Romans 3. By the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. The righteousness of God is manifested without the law, Romans 3. A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Christ, Galatians 2. Not of works, Romans 11. Without works, Romans 4. Not of works, Titus 3. Not of works, Ephesians 2. Not according to works, 2 Timothy 1. Without works, Romans 9. What is the signification of such expressions, but that, all works being excluded, it should be understood that faith only is the procuring cause of justification; for what else is faith without works, and without the law, but faith only?

Therefore, by the necessary law of consequences, we may argue thus:

We are justified by faith, and are not justified by any other thing inherent in us, according to the scriptures. — Therefore we are justified by faith only.

The scripture excludes all other things in man from faith: Therefore of necessity it is faith only that justifies.

But whereas they deny that this exclusive word is found in the scripture, let them read Mark 5, and Luke 8, where the Lord says, Only believe, and thou shalt be saved.

A PLACE OUT OF PAUL. < 461301 > 1 CORINTHIANS 13.

Now these three remain, faith, hope, and charity; but the greatest of these is charity.

First, let us rightly conceive not only the words of the apostle, but in what sense he speaks them. These three remain, saith he, but the greatest of these is charity; in which words we hear the apostle preferring charity before faith; and we acknowledge it to be true, but let us see in what sense it is true.

Though in this world, in men’s dealings with one another, mutual charity hath the preeminence: yet in the kingdom of heaven, that is, in our concernments with God, against Satan, death, sin, the judgment of God, his wrath and vengeance, and the terrors of conscience, faith doth so far excel, that it only hath the dominion, not only above charity, but also without it.

If the dignity and excellency of any thing is discernible by its effects, and performances, as a tree is known by its fruits, let us now compare these virtues with one another, that it may the better appear what each of them can do, what is the efficacy of charity, what faith performs, and how much it excels.

And first, as touching charity and its offices, let us hear how greatly the apostle commends it. Charity, saith he, is patient, and bountiful, and courteous, fitted for every condition of life. Charity doth not envy, doth not behave itself unseemly, is not puffed up, seeks not its own things, but seeks the good of all; it is not easily offended, nor desirous of revenge; and though it suffer injury, it deviseth not to do evil to any man; it delights not in the wickedness of the wicked, but rejoiceth in the truth; it suffers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, waiting for better, with an indefatigable expectation. Though other things may fail; though prophecies, and miracles, and knowledge may cease, yet charity will never fail; mutual love will endure for ever.

Hitherto ye have heard the apostle set forth the duties and offices of\parCHARITY, with deserved praise, which though they are exceeding great and magnificent, and cannot be sufficiently commended by any man according to their worth; yet such is the nature of all these offices of charity, that they pass not beyond the bounds of this mortal life, and the mutual communion of christians with one another.

But now let us raise up our minds as high as we can, to contemplate the power and efficacy ofFAITH, and what it doth, not only upon the earth, but in heaven in the presence of God. Whilst charity is exercised in this inferior world amongst men, faith ascends into the kingdom of God, where it lays hold on the Son of God the Mediator, at the right hand of Majesty, views his kingdom and the glorious riches thereof, and is filled with admiration of the universal power given to him over all heaven and earth. It searches for the promises of the Father, that are ratified in his Son the Mediator, and by search understands them, and in heaven beholds them to be sure and infallible; wherewith the mind of a believer, being now confirmed, takes pleasure in them, and triumphs with great joy. And now faith, by relying on these promises, becomes fearless of danger, and invincible, and stands firmly against the fury of Satan, the power of death, the terrors of a guilty conscience, the gates of hell, the malice of the world, and the oppositions of the rebellious flesh. Hence flows a gladsome tranquillity of conscience, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost; and thence hope derives its fiducial reliance, and charity its fervent zeal from faith only.

For the mind, being supported and safe guarded by faith in Christ, what more can it wish for, to arrive unto the highest pitch of felicity? Who can express with words, or conceive in his mind, all the good things, that faith, by means of the Mediator, prepares in heaven for those that are yet groveling upon the ground? This faith reconciles man, who was in a woeful and wretched condition, unto God. It justifies a sinner at the brink of despair, opens the gates of paradise to the penitent malefactor: obtains the grace of the Holy Spirit for the centurion, gives Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven, justifies the publican, procures pardon to the man sick of the palsy, heals the woman with the bloody issue, restores sight to blind Bartimeus, procures us the grace of adoption, the hope of the resurrection, and life everlasting, and overcomes death, which can by no other power be conquered, and gets victory over Satan, who cannot be subdued by any of our virtues, nor by our charity; but the shield of faith only drives him away, and puts him to flight.

Thus, pious reader, you have some description both of faith and charity; you may take your liberty to judge how you should account of both; and what should be attributed unto charity, which, though it may seem to claim the principality in things belonging to this life, yet in justification, and obtaining the pardon of sins, it is so far from having the superiority, that in this case it can do nothing at all. What need is there of words to prove this? for Paul the apostle explains himself abundantly, in what sense charity is greater; namely, because of its duration, which appears evident by the things that follow: for he draws this inference from what he had said; Charity never fails, though prophecies and miracles may be abolished.

WHAT, WHERE, AND HOW, FAITH WORKETH BY CHARITY.

There are several things that need to be explained, as, what faith works, where, and after what manner it works.

For faith doth not act every where after one and the same manner. It acts one way with men, and another way with God. It is true, that it works by love, as Paul says, but it must be understood in respect of men, not in respect of God. Neither doth faith perform the same in both respects, nor after the same manner; for with men it works by love, but with God it works not by love, but by Christ only, by whom it is admirable to consider what, and how great things faith performs. It obtains grants of petitions, pardon of sins; it reconciles, justifies, wrestles, overcomes, reigns, and triumphs. Faith only does these things, not with men, but with God; not working by charity, but by Christ our Lord. Therefore faith works one thing by Christ, and another thing by charity. By Christ it obtains salvation, by charity it performs obedience to the law. Doth it perform perfect obedience? No. Doth it then perform imperfect obedience? But that is not sufficient to procure righteousness and salvation. And where then is that excellent integrity of life? Where is the meritorious efficacy of charity to purchase salvation? Where is the assertion of the Tridentine decree, which attributes the beginning of justification to faith, but makes the formal cause thereof charity or new obedience, which they call righteousness inherent in us, whereby we are not only accounted righteous, but are both called, and also really are, righteous before God; adding also a dreadful curse, if any dare be of other judgment. F115 Which doctrine, if admitted, utterly disannuls sacred scripture, and overturns all foundation of our religion. For if this be the condition of our salvation, that it must rely upon good deeds, and not free imputation only: where then is that righteousness which is attributed unto faith, so often preached by Paul? Where is the difference between the law and the gospel, which, unless it be carefully observed, we may be blind as to the knowledge of the scripture, like moles and bats at noon-day. Moreover, where is that opposition mentioned by Paul between the righteousness of the law and of faith? between grace and debt? Where is glorying in works excluded? Where is faith accounted to Abraham for righteousness? And how will the Tridentine decrees agree with that which Paul says, Faith is accounted for righteousness, not to him that works, but to him that believes in Him who justifies the ungodly? And where are those remarkable exceptive and exclusive particles, whereby our salvation is wholly cut off from works, and ascribed unto imputation? Moreover, where are all those sweet promises, if those men rob us of the assurance of salvation and God’s imputation?

Let us now proceed to the prophets, that if any are less moved with the authority and writings of the apostles, they may either answer the evident testimonies of the prophets, or yield unto them. And first, I ask of those who deny that Christ’s having fulfilled all righteousness for us, is sufficient to assurance of justification, unless thereto be added righteousness implanted and inherent, formed in us of his free bounty, which makes us formally righteous, satisfies the law, and merits life. Which if it be so, I ask of them, Whether any man can be assured that he is in a state of salvation in this life? If they deny it, where then is that peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, whereof there is such frequent mention in the writings of the prophets and apostles? Where is that frequent singing of praise in the books of the prophets? Where is that everlasting joy and gladness, which Isaiah the prophet foretells shall be upon the heads of those who being redeemed by the Lord, shall come into Sion with praise?

Where is that way so straight, that fools cannot err therein? Where is that voice of the prophet preaching peace, and proclaiming glad tidings, and comforting his own people; which taking away all fear, grief, and sighing, confirms fearful and affrighted consciences, strengthens weak knees, and feeble hands, yea provokes the very beasts of the field, and the ostriches to the exercise of glorifying God?

If yet we waver in doubtful and uncertain fears, and have no firm hope of salvation, but in that righteousness, which is inherent in ourselves, according to the pseudo-catholic opinion of the church of Rome, where then is that fiducial reliance; where is that holy courage, concerning which Jeremiah the prophet foretold; In those days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely? And again to the same purpose, Ezekiel foretelling of the future peace of the church: And I will make with them a covenant of peace. And they that dwell in the wilderness, shall sleep safely in the woods, and shall be in their own land without fear. And presently he subjoins, But they shall dwell safely without any fear. Hereunto belongs the encouragement that Isaiah gives the people of the Messiah, commanding them not to be afraid. Fear not, saith he, for I am with thee. And again, Fear not, for I have redeemed thee. And again, Fear not, my servant Jacob.

Hereunto also agree the words of Zephaniah prophesying by the same Spirit: Be glad, O daughter of Sion, and be joyful, O Israel, and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgment, he hath turned away thy enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in the midst of thee, thou shalt not be afraid of evil any more. How then doth this so great peace and tranquillity of conscience, so often repeated in the prophets, consist with that trembling fear and doubtfulness, which the papists plead for? For what encouragement is there for hope, when the mind is restless through fear, and all things lie at an uncertainty? For how can hope avoid being uncertain, if salvation must be hoped for by works, and not by free donation?

Howbeit, we are not ignorant, nor deny that sanctification and renovation, and the practice of good works, that flow from hence, are benefits bestowed upon us by Christ, which of necessity all good christians must endeavor to attain. But the debate here, is not about governing the life in this world, but of eternal salvation, and the cause thereof. Not whether offices belonging to christian piety should be performed; but whether, when they are performed, they are so much accounted of by God, that they merit salvation, and reconcile an offended God to mankind? Whether virtues and good works are able to stand before the judgment seat of God, without being condemned according to the rigid sentence of the law?

Whether, under great terrors of conscience, when salvation hangs in doubt, we may safely rely upon them, that we may become the sons of God, and inherit eternal life? And yet it is not therefore false, that as long as this life endures, it is very requisite, that believers should be careful to lead holy lives, and utterly abhor all wickedness. But it must be considered, how it is requisite. In respect of the necessity of obedience, it is true; but if you say, that it is requisite in respect of our obtaining a right unto eternal life and salvation, nothing is more false, or pernicious, because it is not purchased by our merits; but is given to us, that deserve not, and are unworthy, and it is given then, whilst we are yet sinners, that it may evidently appear, that all the glory of our salvation is due to the mercy of God, not to our works, which follow reconciliation to God, as fruits thereof, but do not procure it.